COBLESKILL MEN’S SOCCER BLANKS BCC 1-0 IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

The SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer team closed out the 2007 regular season in classic fashion posting a 1-0 shutout road victory over Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY to record the best regular season finish in program history at 15-1 for the season. The Fighting Tigers who are currently ranked third in the recent NJCAA Division III National Poll, fifth in the recent NSCAA National Poll and first in the NJCAA Region III Division III Coaches Poll will now await the regional tournament selection committee to announce the tournament field and game assignments.

With 21:01 remaining in regulation freshman midfielder/forward Ryan Stevens, Niskayuna, NY, Christian Brothers Academy, broke through the Hornet’s defense into the home team’s goal box necessitating Broome to foul him at the six-yard line giving the Fighting Tigers a penalty kick. Then senior midfielder/forward Essaha Jallow, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, took the ensuing penalty kick for the Orange & Black and found the back of the Broome’s net adding yet another significant accomplishment to his NJCAA All-American resume.

During the contest, Cobleskill held a 23-6 advantage in shots on goal over the Hornets with senior goalkeeper Abdou Seck, Bronx, NY, Dewitt Clinton High School, making three saves on the afternoon to keep the home team scoreless. The shutout victory was Cobleskill’s ninth of the season and the fourth by a 1-0 margin this year.

“This was good preparation for the upcoming play-offs for us as this was a heated match with many different elements involved,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz. “Credit our guys for once again pulling out a tight one even though we out shot them by a considerable margin. Now with the tournament fast approaching and with us being one of the top seeds, potentially the top seed, we know that we have a bull’s-eye on our back and that we must prepare for every possible scenario that can occur.”

The 2007 NJCAA Region III Division III Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament pairings will be announced by Thursday October 18th. Interested parties can get tournament information through the college’s athletic website at http://www.cobleskill.edu/Athletics/or by contacting the Fighting Tiger Athletic Department at (518) 255-5127 during regular business hours.