FIGHTING TIGER SOCCER BLANKS BROOME 4-0 FINISHES REGULAR SEASON 14-1

The SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer juggernaut closed the regular season by shutting down the visiting Hornets of Broome Community College yesterday by a 4-0 margin to close the regular season tying the program record for most wins in a year with a 14-1 overall record. Ranked sixth in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll the second seeded Fighting Tigers will host a quarterfinal regional play-off contest versus the winner of Saturday’s first round game between number ten seeded Mohawk Valley Community College and number seven seeded Fulton-Montgomery Community College, to be played in Johnstown, NY at Fulton-Montgomery, on Tuesday October 24th at a yet to be determined kick-off time.

“It is vital that now we are playing our best soccer of the season which was witnessed here today especially in the first half,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz. “We’ve been talking a lot about flow and rhythm. I think today that things really flowed and we had a very good rhythm going throughout the game. Now it’s time to carry these things over into the post-season because right now everyone starts out on the same page with a clean slate.”    

Fighting Tiger senior forward Hugh Campbell, Bronx, NY, Evander Childs High School, single handedly swatted the Hornets with two goals and one assist in the contest. Senior midfielder Gilbert Francillon, Brooklyn, NY, Midwood High School, added a goal in the contest as did freshman midfielder Rilwan Salawu, Brooklyn, NY, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. Cobleskill also received assists from senior defender Josh Cookfair, Scotia, NY, Schalmont High School, and from senior midfielder Kenny Day, Mechanicville, NY, Mechanicville High School.

The Fighting Tiger defense posted its record setting tenth shutout of the season behind the outstanding play of freshman goalkeeper Abdou Seck, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, who recorded his ninth shutout of the season making 11 saves in the contest versus the high scoring Hornet offensive attack.

TIGER NOTES:  The Fighting Tigers have now established a new record for most consecutive wins in the regular season concluding the campaign with 13 consecutive victories. The team’s 14 wins ties the mark of the 1997 team which advanced to the NJCAA Division III National Championships with an at-large bid posting a 14-3-1 overall record. The Fighting Tigers have posted 10 shutout victories on the season. The team’s 14-1 overall mark includes a 13-1 record versus NJCAA Region III Division III opponents and a 5-1 record in Mountain Valley Conference play. Cobleskill has amassed a 34-24-3 overall mark under the direction of coach Rob Szmarz, Queens, NY, SUNY Potsdam.