ONEONTA, N.Y. – In a battle between the top two teams in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) standings, the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team fell, 3-0, to No. 10 SUNY Oneonta on Saturday at Red Dragon Field in the Cardinals' conference and regular-season finale.
 
Oneonta is ranked at No. 10 in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll.
 
Plattsburgh State secured the No. 2 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament and earned a bye through the tournament's first round. The Cardinals will host either third-seeded Buffalo State or sixth-seeded The College at Brockport in the semifinal round on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Oneonta locked up the tournament's top seed and will entertain either fourth-seeded SUNY Cortland or fifth-seeded Oswego State in the semifinals.
 
In what was a match to determine the SUNYAC's top overall seed in the conference tournament and its regular-season champion, Oneonta scored in the 23rd minute and added insurance in the 84th and 87th minutes to lock up the right to host throughout the tournament should it advance.
 
Plattsburgh State saw its seven-match winning streak come to an end in the loss, dropping to 10-7-0 overall (7-2-0 SUNYAC). Oneonta rises to 15-2-0 overall (8-1-0 SUNYAC) with the win.
 
The Cardinals nearly scored in the opening minute of play. Senior midfielder Jimmy Marchena (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) pushed a pass to sophomore midfielder Alex Alejo (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen) to the top of the 18-yard box on an indirect kick, and Alejo fired a shot that was turned aside by freshman goalkeeper Nate Hanna's diving, one-handed save.
 
Oneonta broke through in the 23rd minute thanks to senior forward Witman Hernandez. Sophomore Matt Howe booted a pass out to the right, and Hernandez beat the Cardinals' defense before firing a low shot inside the far post. That 1-0 score held up through the end of the first half.
 
After the two teams battled in the second half, Oneonta added much-needed insurance in the final 10 minutes of play. Sophomore forward Jeremy Pantoni cashed in on a header pass from Hernandez in the 84th minute, while Hernandez scored on a header 3:39 later courtesy of a cross into the box by Pantoni.
 
Oneonta outshot Plattsburgh State, 16-10, while holding a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
 
Junior goalkeeper Patrick Feeley (Harriman, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) made three saves in his first loss of the season (3-1-0), while Hanna (9-1-0) posted a three-save shutout for Oneonta.