PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Once again,
Nicholas Laurent played a major part in making sure former Plattsburgh State star Chris Taylor didn't pick up his first coaching win against the team he suited up for as a collegian.
The sophomore made good on the last of Plattsburgh State's six corner kicks of the night, sending
Fabian Chaparro's cross in the 93
rd minute to the far corner of the net and elevating the Cardinals to a 2-1 overtime triumph over the Golden Knights at the Field House Soccer Complex on Tuesday night.
In his first two career games against Clarkson, Laurent has totaled three goals and with the win Plattsburgh State moves to 1-0. The Cardinals have won their last 20 season openers – a stretch which dates back to the 1995 season. Since 1986, Plattsburgh has dropped just two season-opening tilts.
Taylor, the reigning Liberty League Coach of the Year, dazzled during his four years in Plattsburgh State colors as a player but is 0-2 when matching wits with Cardinals' head man
Chris Waterbury.
One of the best crowds in recent memory was on-hand for all the drama and two-time All-SUNYAC Second Team member
Nick Economou gave the partisan congregation a reason to cheer in the infancy of the bout.
With just 6:34 elapsed in the non-conference tilt, the third-year man out of Vestal, N.Y., settled down a bouncing corner kick from
Nelson Vetter and headed it past Clarkson netminder Riley McDonald to give the home squad an early 1-0 edge.
That score stood for nearly 20 minutes before the Golden Knights notched the equalizer. Tucker Wilcox, the top returning scorer for Clarkson from a season ago, received a perfect through ball from Kevin Calnan and rushed past the Cardinals' back line before sending a hot shot past senior goalie
Mitchell Jordon to make matters 1-1 at the 26:12 mark.
The deadlock continued through the rest of the 90-minute regulation time, but both sides conjured up some quality chances to put things in the books before overtime became a necessity.
In the 62
nd minute, sophomore
Ian Spear set up shop for another Plattsburgh State corner kick, and sent a perfect ball to senior
Ethan Votraw. The Plattsburgh, N.Y., product was able to get his head on the ball, but his shot bounced over the Golden Knights' goal and out of play.
Votraw's misfire was the opening salvo of an 11-shot attack by the hosts through the final 28 minutes of regulation. Junior and 2014 All-SUNYAC First Team honoree
Alexis Archilla registered three of those shots – two of which were turned away by McDonald.
With 20:21 to go in regulation, Max Leetz broke free from the Cardinals' back line and tossed a header in the direction of Jordon, but the Bolton Landing, N.Y., native stood strong and preserved the 1-1 tie.
When overtime finally did commence, it was Clarkson who came up with the first potential game-winning opportunity of the frame. Wilcox sent a screaming grounder toward the Cardinals' goal, only to see it sail wide by no more than a few feet.
Just 1:25 later, though, Laurent drove in his game winner to set off a rip-roaring celebration among the Plattsburgh State players.
The Cardinals held an 18-9 advantage in shots over their North Country rivals and didn't allow the Golden Knights to attempt a corner kick. McDonald (0-1), who was making his collegiate debut, made eight saves while Jordon moved to 1-0 by stopping four balls.
Remaining in the northern reaches of New York, Plattsburgh State's next test will come on Saturday afternoon at the SUNY Potsdam College Cup. The Cardinals will engage in some neutral site soccer warfare when they take on Hobert College at 1:30 p.m., on the campus of SUNY Canton.
