Box Score PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Thanks in large part to some late-game heroics by junior Matt Hamilton, the Plattsburgh State men’s soccer team made sure the road to the 2012 SUNYAC Tournament Championship will run through Plattsburgh.
The midflelder emerged out of a scramble in the Brockport box at the 104:57 mark and chipped in his team-leading ninth goal of the season to give the Cardinals (16-2-0, 7-2-0 SUNYAC) a dramatic 2-1 double-overtime victory over Brockport on Saturday (Oct. 20) at the Field House Soccer Complex.
With the hard-fought victory, the Cardinals captured the regular season SUNYAC crown while the Golden Eagles (8-7-1, 6-2-1 SUNYAC) had to settle for a third-place finish as the regular season league schedule came to a close. Oneonta passed up the Golden Eagles for second-place honors after they earned a 5-0 victory over Buffalo State earlier in the day. Although the Red Dragons and Cardinals had identical conference records, Plattsburgh State owned the tiebreaker thanks to a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Oneonta earlier in the season.
The match, which took over three hours to complete thanks to lengthy lightning delay in the middle of the first overtime period, was a dogfight from the beginning as 34 total fouls were whistled between the clubs.
By no means, though, did the Cardinals own the advantage throughout the match despite possessing home field advantage. After three corner kicks by Mike Payne over a 26-second period in the opening minutes failed to pay any dividends, Brockport capitalized on its second corner kick of the tilt.
Dan Turchan fired a shot that deflected off the middle portion of the crossbar and down beyond Andy Heighington’s goal line to stake the visitors to an early 1-0 advantage.
Payne pulled the Cardinals even at the 19:36 mark when he took a crossing pass from Tom Green and send a screaming grounder past Brockport netminder Casey Sullivan. The New Hartford, N.Y., product, who was nearly parallel to the far side of the post when he took the shot, brought his 2012 goal harvest up to five with the strike.
After the initial scoring flurry, the game morphed into a defensive slugfest, testing the abilities of each squad’s back line. Only two shots on goal were recorded throughout the remainder of regulation soccer.
The defensive theme continued through the first 10 minutes of extra soccer before Hamilton’s game-winner in the second overtime period. It was just the second shot of the period and the first one on goal since Heighington turned away an attempt by Brockport’s Dom Kwiatkowski at the 42:29 mark of the first half.
The Cardinals held a decisive advantage in the corner kick department, taking 13 to Brockport’s four. Plattsburgh State possessed a 14-10 edge in shots as well. Heighington made two saves while his counterpart made one.
Wednesday (Oct. 24) will mark the final game of the 2012 regular season as the Cardinals hit the pitch at the Field House Complex at 7 p.m. Their opponent will be arguably the toughest foe of the season in No. 17-nationally ranked St. Lawrence.
First-round matchups for the 2012 SUNYAC Tournament have not yet been announced, but the quarterfinal matchups will take place on Saturday, October 27. The Cardinals have a first-round bye and will play the lowest remaining seed after the quarterfinal matchups have been decided, with that game occuring on Wednesday, October 31. Click on the link provided below for all of your 2012 SUNYAC Championship information.
2012 SUNYAC Tournament Information
