TROY, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team ran into one of NCAA Division III's best teams on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 5-1 non-conference decision to the No. 7 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at ECAV Stadium.
RPI's junior forward Josh Gaudiano led the Engineer offense with two goals, while senior forward/midfielder Paul Silva had a goal and two assists.
Plattsburgh State falls to 2-1-0 overall with the loss and next visits Middlebury College on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 4 p.m. RPI rises to 1-1-1 overall with the win and next hosts Manhattanville College on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 4 p.m.
Silva put the Engineers on the board in the sixth minute, one-touching a pass from sophomore forward Reggie Durden into the back of the net. Silva got involved in the offense once again in the 26th minute, delivering a low free kick toward the top of the 18 that Gaudiano flicked into the air deposited into the upper right corner of the goal. That 2-0 advantage stood through the remainder of the half.
RPI made it a 3-0 game in the 49th minute, as fifth-year defender Joe Di Miceli headed in a goal on a corner kick. Durden and sophomore defender Alex Garciá assisted on the goal.
Plattsburgh State finally broke through in the 61st minute, as first-year midfielder
Brian Coughlan (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) scored his third goal of the season. Sophomore midfielder
Dylan Shalvey (Cavan, Ireland/Tappan Zee [N.Y.]) sent a pass to Coughlan, and Coughlan tucked the ball under the crossbar to make it a 3-1 contest.
RPI's Gaudiano extended the lead to three once again at 64:00, relying on assists from senior midfielder Billy Chissoe and Silva, while the Engineers received an insurance marker from junior midfielder Gabe Terando at 88:26. Junior forward Chris Heffernan and Di Miceli assisted on the goal.
Senior goalkeeper Luke Brezek earned the win in goal for the Engineers with two saves, while first-year goalkeeper
Teddy Healy (Amityville, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) (2-1-0) made one stop in the loss for the Cardinals.
The Engineers finished with a 14-4 edge in shots and a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.