PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- The Brockport Golden Eagles claimed their first State University of New York Athletic Conference men's soccer championship since 1978 by virtue of taking the penalty-kick shootout, 11-10, over host Plattsburgh State on Saturday at the Cardinals Field House Complex. The top two seeded teams battled to an official scoreless tie after two overtimes, but the 10-5-3 Golden Eagles earn the SUNYAC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The nationally No. 20-ranked Cardinals hope their 13-2-5 overall record merits an at-large bid from the national tournament committee. The 59-team field will be announced on Sunday evening and the brackets will be revealed at 10 a.m. Monday.
SUNYAC tournament most valuable player Joe Marino of Brockport made nine saves to offset a relentless Cardinals offensive attack. Plattsburgh had 19 shots (Brockport, 6)--including advantages of 10-2 in the second half and 3-1 in both 10-minute overtimes--and more corner kicks (10-6).
Plattsburgh's Pat Shaughnessy had the game's first solid scoring chance 5 minutes after the opening kick-off, but his header with pace from six yards out was stopped by Marino. Later in the half, Mike Payne sent a through-ball into the box that was just out of the reach of open Cardinals Joe Bogart and Brandon Levine. Chris Taylor nearly put the Cardinals ahead late in the game when one shot just sailed over the crossbar and Marino turned back a blast from 25 yards.
Brockport's two best scoring chances came off a flick header by Brad Lefort in the 14th minute and a scramble in front of the Plattsburgh goal after a corner kick.
In the penalty-kick shootout, Plattsburgh jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Brockport missed two of its first three attempts. But that trend changed after the Cardinals failed on three of their next four while the Golden Eagles converted on 10 of their last 11 kicks. Marino stopped Plattsburgh's last kick that could have tied the shootout at 11 and force another round, giving the school's first conference championship in 31 years.
2009 SUNYAC All-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Yuta Shimizu, Junior MF, Geneseo; Kurt Jameson, Senior MF, Geneseo; Jonathan Kowalski, Sophomore MF, Oneonta; Matt Lindemann, Senior D, Oneonta; Mike Pinamonti, Senior D, Plattsburgh; John LoGuirato, Junior D, Plattsburgh; David Hickman, Senior MF, Plattsburgh; Brad Lefort, Senior F, Brockport; Mike Breman, Junior MF, Brockport; Jeff Palumbo, Junior D, Brockport; Most Valuable Player Joe Marino, Junior GK, Brockport.
