POTSDAM, N.Y. – Senior forward Chris Robertson (Thiells, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional [N.J.]) scored twice and junior forward Jimmy Marchena (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) posted a pair of assists, as the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team defeated SUNY Potsdam, 3-1, in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action Saturday afternoon at Maxcy Turf Field.
 
Plattsburgh State moves into a tie for fourth in the SUNYAC standings with the win, as the Cardinals now have six points along with SUNY Cortland, which suffered its first conference loss of the year Saturday to SUNY New Paltz.
 
The Cardinals finished the game with a 15-8 advantage in shots in addition to outgaining the Bears in corner kicks, 7-0.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 4-4-2 overall (2-1-0 SUNYAC) with the win and is 3-1-2 in its past six matches. The Cardinals next visit Oswego State on Friday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m. Potsdam drops to 4-5-1 overall (0-3-0 SUNYAC) with the loss and visits SUNY Cortland next on Friday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m.
 
Senior forward Alex Price (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) put the Cardinals on the board in the 17th minute with his first goal of the season and 15th of his career. With the Cardinals on the counterattack, Marchena launched a long ball through the air from Plattsburgh State's side of the halfway line, and Price received the pass at the top of the 18-yard box. Price quickly chipped the ball past the Bear goalkeeper to put the Cardinals on top early.
 
Robertson netted Plattsburgh State's second marker at the 27:54 mark, scoring unassisted. He stole the ball away from a Potsdam defender about 23 yards out, dribbled into the box and buried a left-footed strike far post to stake the Cardinals to a 2-0 advantage.
 
In the 81st minute, Robertson buried his second goal of the afternoon to put the match on ice. Marchena crossed in a ball in from the left wing, which found Robertson at the top of the 6-yard box. Robertson then fired off a left-footed strike inside the right post to put Plattsburgh State ahead, 3-0.
 
Potsdam erased the shutout bid in the 87th minute, as freshman midfielder Jhonny Mendoza took a direct kick that was saved by sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Wilson (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington), but freshman Quinn Graziano buried the rebound.
 
Wilson made three saves in the win for the Cardinals, while junior goalkeeper Jakeb Mitchell turned aside six shots in the loss for the Bears.