Box Score PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Freshman Chris Bowden scored a goal in each half Saturday afternoon to lead the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team to a 4-0 win over Potsdam in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opener at the Field House Soccer Complex.
 
The Cardinals (7-1-1, 1-0-0 SUNYAC) maintained possession of the ball throughout much of the first half but struggled to score against the Bears (6-4-0, 0-1-0 SUNYAC) in the early going. Potsdam goalkeeper Nick Davies stopped Plattsburgh State first three shots on net but the Bears suffered a devastating blow to their defensive game at 40:22 when Davies exited the game due to an apparent injury.
 
Potsdam's Stefan Sloma replaced Davies but barely had time to settle in before the Cardinals capitalized on the change in goal. Just 16 seconds after Sloma entered the game, Joe Aratari set up Bowden with a cross pass from the right side. Bowden trapped the ball and after a couple touches the Cardinal rookie tapped the ball past Sloma from deep in the box. Bowden's third of the year gave Plattsburgh State a 1-0 lead which the Cardinals would carry into the half.
 
Plattsburgh State continued to attack early in the second half when Steve Zacharczyk took a feed from Nick Parrella and booted the ball into an open net at 49:51, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
 
Matt Hamilton extended the lead to 3-0 which a blast from outside the box at 52:05 before Bowden closed out the scoring with his second of the afternoon at 74:11.
 
The Cardinals outshot the Bears, 20-6, and held a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Plattsburgh State's Mitchell Jordon made three saves to improve to 4-0-0 on the year. Sloma recorded three stops in his first loss of the season for Potsdam.
 
League play continues next weekend as Plattsburgh State hosts two SUNYAC games at the Field House Soccer Complex. Oswego comes to town Friday for a 4 p.m. game before the Cardinals close out the weekend against Cortland on Saturday at 1 p.m.