Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill men's soccer team came up just short in a tightly contested North Atlantic Conference matchup on Sunday afternoon, falling 1-0 to the University of Maine–Presque Isle (UMPI) at the Cobleskill Soccer Complex.
The Tigers created several quality chances throughout the match, but couldn't find the back of the net despite outshooting the Owls 15-14.
Leading the Cobleskill attack was
Connor Fancher (Worcester, NY), who registered three shots, including two on target.
Spencer Reisman (Youngstown, NY),
Gavin McEnroe (Burlington Flats, NY), and
Andrew Rimes (Walden, NY) each added two shots apiece, with McEnroe placing one on goal.
Robert Mahon (Pensacola, FL) nearly opened the scoring in the 36th minute when his driven effort rattled off the right post, while
Declan McCracken (South Kortright, NY) also put one on frame.
On the defensive side,
Garrett Aikins (Morris, NY) and
Samuel Spraker (Broadalbin-Perth, NY) anchored the backline and kept the Owls' attack in check for much of the afternoon. In goal,
Joe Wille (Gilboa, NY) started the first half and recorded two saves, while
Adam Champlin (South Kortright, NY) played the second half, stopping four shots.
Statistically, the match was nearly even. The Tigers held a 15-14 edge in total shots, while the Owls led 7-5 in shots on target. Cobleskill's goalkeepers combined for six saves compared to UMPI's five. The Owls held a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks.
In the first half, the Tigers nearly took the lead in the 17th minute when Fancher curled in a dangerous free kick to a charging McEnroe, whose header sailed just over the crossbar. The Owls earned a penalty in the 23rd minute but failed to capitalize, sending the attempt over the bar. Cobleskill continued to apply pressure before halftime, capped by Mahon's shot off the post, but the sides entered the break scoreless.
After the intermission, Fancher again came close in the 61st minute, breaking through the UMPI defense only to see his shot denied by the right post. Champlin came up big in the 67th minute, reacting sharply to push a rising effort from Max Kennedy over the bar. The breakthrough for UMPI finally came in the 71st minute, when a rebound off the post fell to an Owl attacker who converted from close range to make it 1-0.
Despite a late push, the Tigers couldn't find the equalizer and dropped a narrow 1-0 decision at home.
Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers return to action on Saturday, October 18, when they host VTSU-Lyndon for Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at the Cobleskill Soccer Complex.
