PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team scored three first-half goals to set the tone of the game against host St. Joseph's (L.I.) College on day one of the St. Joseph's Invitational Saturday afternoon at Danzi Stadium, and the Cardinals ended up tacking on an insurance score late in the second half to cruise to a 4-1 victory.
 
The Cardinals remain undefeated at 4-0-0 overall with the win and finish out action at the St. Joseph's Invitational tomorrow against St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) College at 12 p.m. St. Joseph's drops to 0-3-0 with the loss and entertains New Jersey City University in the final match of the event at 2:30 p.m.
 
Plattsburgh State scored early, with senior Jonathan Gamboa (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) finishing a rebounded shot by junior defender Tyler Jablanski (Niverville, N.Y./Ichabod Crane) in the third minute. Gamboa netted his second goal of the contest less than 10 minutes later, as senior forward Alexis Archilla (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley) found Gamboa's feet on the counterattack, and Gamboa scored from the left side.
 
The Cardinals added to their lead in the 33rd minute, as freshman midfielder Hunter Allen (East Northport, N.Y./John H. Glenn) buried his first career goal, depositing a loose ball in the box into the back of the net. With time winding down in the first half, Plattsburgh State committed a foul in the 18-yard box on St. Joseph's attacking end of the field, and senior midfielder Justin Heredia converted on a penalty kick to put the Golden Eagles on the board heading into the intermission.
 
Both teams combined for eight fouls in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, and senior goalkeeper Avery Gomez gave St. Joseph's some momentum after turning aside a penalty-kick try in the 57th minute. The Golden Eagles' best offensive chances of the second half came in the 64th minute, as St. Joseph's unleashed three shots in a span of 14 seconds, two of which ricocheted off the post.
 
From that point forward, Plattsburgh State continued to push the tempo until junior midfielder Nicholas Laurent (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South) netted the Cardinals' fourth and final goal of the afternoon in the 82nd minute. Laurent received a pass from senior defender/midfielder Ryan Miller (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Arlington) deep in the box and ripped the ball into the top right corner of the goal.
 
Plattsburgh State finished with a 17-12 edge in shots and an 8-4 cushion in corner kicks.
 
Junior goalkeeper Andrew LaClaustra (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) made two saves in the victory for the Cardinals, while his counterpart, Gomez, turned aside six shots in the loss.