PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – A penalty-kick goal by junior forward
Jimmy Marchena (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) in the 84th minute drew the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team within one, but Springfield College's senior goalkeeper Stewart Frank came up with a stop on a second penalty kick attempt for the Cardinals two minutes later to preserve a 2-1 Springfield victory at the Best Western Plus Cardinal Classic Saturday afternoon at the Field House Complex.
Based on the win and result from the 1 p.m. match—a game in which William Paterson University and SUNY Potsdam battled to a 3-3 double-overtime tie—Springfield captured the classic's championship as the only unbeaten and untied team across the two-day event. Springfield and William Paterson each posted victories on Friday.
Sophomore midfielder
Jordan Fein (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) represented Plattsburgh State on the All-Tournament Team, joining Frank (Defensive MVP), senior midfielder/defender Brad Deckel (Offensive MVP) and freshman midfielder/forward Andrew Ma from Springfield, senior forward/midfielder Jordan Saling and junior forward Keysean Brant-Sharp from William Paterson and senior defender Tyler Mullery from Potsdam.
Plattsburgh State drops to 0-2-0 overall with the loss and looks to get back on track on Tuesday, Sept. 4, when it visits The Sage Colleges for a 7 p.m. match. Springfield rises to 2-0-0 with the win and next visits Brandeis University on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m.
Springfield opened scoring in the 35th minute, capitalizing on a set piece. Senior defender Xavi Arroyo took a free kick from around 30 yards out on the left flank, crossing the ball into the center of the 18-yard box to a cutting Deckel. Deckel then headed the ball in off the cross to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.
The Pride added insurance just 4:18 into the second half. Deckel took a shot that just missed the goal, as the ball ricocheted off the left post just outside the reach of a diving sophomore goalkeeper
Ryan Wilson (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington). Senior forward Christian Schneider then took a few steps to his right before knocking the rebound home.
Plattsburgh State received an opportunity to cut into the deficit in the 84th minute, as a hand ball in the box by Springfield warranted a Cardinal penalty kick. While Marchena's initial attempt clanged off the crossbar, a Springfield violation allowed Marchena to retry the penalty kick. Marchena converted on the second chance, which put the Cardinals one step closer to tying the game with under 10 minutes to go.
Springfield committed yet another foul in the penalty area 2:24 later, giving the Cardinals a chance to net the equalizer. Frank came up with a big stop on the penalty kick try, and though senior forward
Alex Price (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) put a body on the ball a few seconds later, Frank made another save. The Cardinals were unable to generate another scoring opportunity down the stretch, and the Pride escaped with the one-goal win.
The Pride finished with a 19-11 edge in shots and a 5-4 cushion in corner kicks.
Wilson made seven saves in the loss for Plattsburgh State, while his counterpart, Frank, turned aside seven shots in the win for Springfield.
