New York, N.Y.:  In what amounted to a homecoming of sorts for much of their roster, the SUNY Cobleskill men's soccer team opened their 2019 season in impressive fashion with a 3-1 road win over the host Hunter College Hawks in a game played at New York City's famous Randle Island Field #82 on Saturday afternoon. With the victory the Fighting Tigers open the year with a 1-0 overall record while the host Hawks are now 0-1-1 overall on the season to date.

The Fighting Tigers struck first in the 15^th minute when sophomore forward Sadou Diallo, Harlem, N.Y., Martin Luther King High School, took a pass from freshman defender Darwin Velasco, Bayshore, N.Y. , Brentwood High School, and found the back of the net. Just over 10 minutes later in the 25^th minute sophomore striker Chris Gardener, Hudson, N.Y., Hudson High School, converted on a picture perfect cross from senior forward Emile Vwaza, Manhattan, N.Y., Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School, to make it 2-0 Cobleskill.

After Hunter converted on a penalty kick early in the 74^th minute the Orange & Black iced the contest only 33 seconds later when Emile Vwaza took a long lead pass from senior defender Gregoire Diedhiou, Manhattan, N.Y., Julia Richmond High School, and scored to seal the victory for the visitors.

Defensively the Fighting Tigers held the Hawks to only eight shots on the afternoon with freshman goalkeeper Rashawn Best, Brooklyn, N.Y., Martin Luther King High School, needing to make only three saves to post his first collegiate victory.

Cobleskill will return to action on Sunday afternoon when they travel to the Bronx, N.Y. to face the Lighting of Lehman College in non-league action with kick-off scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Lehman College South Campus Field.