Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill men's soccer team earned a gritty 2-0 victory over visiting SUNY ESF on Saturday afternoon at the Soccer/Lacrosse Complex. After a back-and-forth contest for most of the match, the Tigers broke through with two late goals in the final 10 minutes to secure the win.
Cobleskill was led by second-year players
Rob Staubitz (East Rockaway, NY) and
Connor Fancher (Worcester, NY), who each scored a goal. First-year defender
Joshua Sanchez (Bronx, NY/New Visions) tallied a season-high two assists. On the defensive end,
Joe Wille (Gilboa, NY/Gilboa-Conesville) turned in a solid performance with two crucial saves to preserve his first shutout of the season.
The Fighting Tigers held the advantage in total shots 13-3 and shots on goal 3-2. Cobleskill also had eight corner kicks to ESF's one.
The first half saw both teams struggle to find their offensive rhythm, with Cobleskill controlling much of the possession but unable to convert chances into goals. The Tigers registered five shots to SUNY ESF's two.
In the second half, Cobleskill ramped up the pressure, particularly from set pieces, earning several corner kicks that put the SUNY ESF defense under constant pressure. The breakthrough came in the 82nd minute when Sanchez delivered a dangerous corner kick to Staubitz, who finished at the back post for his first goal of the season, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Just six minutes later, in the 88th minute, Fancher doubled Cobleskill's advantage with a composed finish after Sanchez dribbled through two defenders and set him up with a precise pass. Fancher's goal was his ninth of the season, with Sanchez providing his second assist of the game.
The Fighting Tigers return to action on Wednesday, October 16, as they travel to SUNY Maritime for a non-conference match at 7:00 p.m.
Game Stats:
- Goals: Rob Staubitz (82'), Connor Fancher (88')
- Assists: Joshua Sanchez (2)
- Shots: Cobleskill 13, SUNY ESF 3
- Shots on Goal: Cobleskill 3, SUNY ESF 2
- Saves: Joe Wille (2), Sam Tymeson (1)
- Corner Kicks: Cobleskill 8, SUNY ESF 1
- Fouls: Cobleskill 10, SUNY ESF 13
Key Moments:
