COBLESKILL MEN’S SOCCER DEFEATS FLCC 3-2 IN REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS

On a rain soaked field at the Cobleskill Soccer Complex, the top seeded SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer team turned back a determined upset bid by the ninth seeded Lakers of Finger Lakes Community College by a 3-2 margin in the quarterfinals of the 2007 NJCAA Region III Division III Tournament in Cobleskill, NY yesterday. The victory establishes a new Fighting Tiger program record for most victories in a single season as the team moves to 16-1 on the year and advances to the tournament’s semifinal round on Saturday hosted by Tompkins-Cortland Community College in Dryden, NY.

The Fighting Tigers had jumped to an imposing 2-0 lead late in the second half as freshman midfielder David Gardiner, Ballston Spa, NY, Ballston Spa High School, continued his torrid scoring pace with a pair of goals connecting with 21:47 remaining in the first half then finding the back of the Lakers’ net with 40:26 remaining in the second half. Freshman forward Emile Barnett, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, assisted on the opening goal while senior midfielder Greg Klopfer, Voorheesville, NY, Voorheesville High School, notched an assist on the second one.

Things seemed well in hand for Cobleskill until with 16:23 remaining in second half Laker defender Jon Prescott made an impressive run at the net on the rain soaked turf and scored. The Laker senior then duplicated the feat with 14:58 remaining in regulation and shifted the match’s momentum to the visitors.

Facing the prospect of an overtime with 6:37 left to play freshman forward Lucas Heffron, Lansing, NY, Lansing High School, lined up for a free-kick from 20 yards out. Heffron’s subsequent blast was threaded perfectly through a tight Laker defense finding its mark and gave Cobleskill a 3-2 lead which held up as the final margin of victory.

“On a rain soaked field we knew that it wasn’t going to be easy for us to move the ball around in our usual style and when we got up 2-0 we thought that we could just go out coast which led to them scoring two quick goals,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz. “After that happened I’m very proud of the way we rolled up our sleeves, took off our skirts and muscled in the game winning goal.”

Cobleskill will next be in action on Saturday October 27th in the tournament’s semifinal round when they will meet the number four seeded Hawks of Mohawk Valley Community College at 2:30 PM at Tompkins-Cortland Community College’s Soccer Complex in Dryden, NY. The winner of that game will advance to the tournament’s championship game to be played at Tompkins-Cortland on Sunday October 28th at 3:00 PM.