COBLEKSILL MEN’S SOCCER STOPS CAYUGA 3-0 TO MOVE TO 11-1 ON YEAR

The Spartans of Cayuga Community College came to Cobleskill, NY yesterday looking to derail the SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer team on the very day the Fighting Tigers claimed the number ten spot on the NJCAA Division III National Poll. The determined visitors entered the contest boasting an impressive 9-2-2 overall record and were viewed as one of the top programs in the Mid States Conference. However the Spartan defense broke twice early in the match under pressure from a finely tuned Fighting Tiger offensive attack and Cobleskill cruised to a 3-0 home turf victory. With the win the number ten ranked Fighting Tigers go into their fall break with an 11-1 overall mark.

“This was an important game to win because we now get a week off for break and have time to heal some of our nagging injuries,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz. “They were regional finalists last year so we knew that we had our work cut out for us today. Our first two goals were highlight reel efforts with Cookies full volley and Gilbert’s goal off Rilwan’s 50 yard precision pass. That set the tone early and we never looked back.”

The Fighting Tigers took the resolve out to the Spartan defense early on when with 39:13 remaining in the half freshman midfielder Greg Klopfer, Voorheesville, NY, Voorheesville High School, struck a perfect corner kick to the weakside of the field where senior defender Josh Cookfair, Scotia, NY, Schalmont High School, took the ball out of flight and hit a full volley shot into the back of the Cayuga net. A short time later, with 32:18 left in the half, senior midfielder Gilbert Francillon, Brooklyn, NY, Midwood High School, took a 50 yard pass in stride from freshman midfielder Rilwan Salawu, Brooklyn, NY, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School and found pay dirt. Cobleskill closed the scoring in the second half on a penalty kick by freshman midfielder Essaha Jallow, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, with 19:32 remaining in the contest.

The Cobleskill defense repelled the Spartan offense throughout the game behind freshman goalkeeper Abdou Seck, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, who made six saves against the Spartans. Earlier in the day the Bronx native had been named the NJCAA Division III National Defensive Player-of-the-Week for the week of September 24th through September 30th when he recorded three shutout victories for the Fighting Tigers. To date Cobleskill has recorded seven shutouts on the season allowing only eight goals in 12 contests for a goal against average of 0.75 per game.

The Fighting Tigers will return to action on Wednesday October 11th when they host the Timberwolves of Adirondack Community College in a Mountain Valley Conference game with kick-off scheduled for 4:30 PM at the Cobleskill Soccer Complex.