FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team earned the No. 6 seed in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament despite falling to Fredonia, 1-0, in its regular-season finale Saturday afternoon at University Stadium.
 
Because Oswego State tied SUNY Geneseo Saturday, Oswego and Plattsburgh State both finished with 10 points in the conference standings. The Cardinals held the tiebreaker because of a head-to-head win on Friday, Oct. 5, giving them the final spot into the playoff bracket.
 
Plattsburgh State drops to 6-8-3 overall (3-5-1 SUNYAC) with the loss and will visit third-seeded The College at Brockport in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 27, at a time to be determined. Fredonia finishes its season at 5-9-2 overall (2-6-1 SUNYAC).
 
The start of the game was delayed for two hours as a result of lightning and rain, and after the two teams finally took to the field, neither was able to score in the first half, though the Cardinals held a 5-4 edge in shots in the opening stanza.
 
Fredonia's junior midfielder Matt Belardi finally broke through in sloppy conditions in the 74th minute, scoring on an assist by junior forward Tristan Desnerck.
 
Plattsburgh State finished with an 18-5 edge in shots. The Cardinals limited the Blue Devils to just one shot attempt in the second half, which was Belardi's game-winning goal. Plattsburgh State also held a 9-3 edge in corner kicks.
 
The Cardinals received three shots apiece from sophomore midfielder Cameron Richards (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck), junior forward Sean Cray (Modena, N.Y./Wallkill), senior midfielder Taka Fukushima (Noda, Japan/Municipal Kashiwa) and senior forward Alex Price (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown).
 
Freshman goalkeeper Gustav Norin (Östersund, Sweden/JGY Wargentinskolan) made one save in his second collegiate appearance in goal for the Cardinals, while Fredonia's junior goalkeeper Ty Bentham posted a 10-save shutout.