PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team trounced Alfred University, 8-0, in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon at the field house complex.
Playing his second collegiate game, sophomore midfielder Dylan Shalvey (Cavan, Ireland/Tappan Zee) tallied a hat trick as Plattsburgh State improved to 2-0-0 on the season. Alfred fell to 0-1-1 on the season.
The Cardinals dominated the match — outshooting Alfred 22-1 (13-0 shots on goal) on the day, including a 17-0 advantage in shots during the first half. Plattsburgh State scored six first-half goals and added on two more goals in the second half.
The game-winning goal came in the fifth minute of the match. After a corner kick was passed to senior forward Yusif Okine (Schenectady, N.Y./Schenectady), Okine played a cross into the right side of the box and senior defender Jimmy Alexander (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) scored with a header to make the score 1-0.
The Cardinals made their lead 2-0 in the eighth minute when first-year midfielder Brian Coughlan (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) ran onto a ball played ahead by junior forward Jai Coker (Birkdale, Australia/Redlands College) dribbled into the box and finished with a low shot past the goalkeeper.
After an own goal by Alfred made the score 3-0 in the 17th minute, Shalvey scored the next three goals to record his hat trick.
Shalvey made the score 4-0 when he calmly chipped in a pass that Coughlan sent across the front of the goal in the 28th minute. Less than a minute later, Shalvey timed a run to get behind the defense and ran onto a through ball played by senior midfielder Cameron Richards (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck). With only the goalie to beat, Shalvey dribbled past the goalkeeper and finished into an empty net in the 29th minute to make the score 5-0. Shalvey completed his hat trick in the 32nd minute to make the score 6-0. Sophomore midfielder Kevin Abbondanza (Rye, N.Y./Rye) played a ball from the left side of the net to Shalvey, who was right in front of the goal. Shalvey then placed a shot into the lower-right corner of the goal.
Plattsburgh State, which had 30 different players appear in the match, received two goals in the second half from senior forward Noel Vidal (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) as the Cardinals cruised to the 8-0 victory.
In the 64th minute, senior midfielder Giancarlo Franco (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale played a ball ahead from the midfield that was touched ahead by junior forward Cole Weiner (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown). Vidal ran onto the ball in the top right of the box and finished with a shot into the lower-left corner of the goal to make the score 7-0.
Vidal capped off the scoring in the 68th minute. Senior midfielder Jordan Fein (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) played a pass from the left of the net into the left side of the box where junior forward Alex Graci (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) heel flicked the ball across the front of the net to Vidal who finished with a low shot to make the final score 8-0.
First-year goalkeeper Teddy Healy (Amityville, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) played the first half and improved to 2-0-0 on the season. Making his Cardinal debut, first-year goalkeeper Matthew Heimowitz played the second half for the Cardinals.
Goalkeeper Danial Koenig was charged with the loss for Alfred after allowing all eight goals and making four saves in 72 minutes of play. Seven Morrow made two saves in relief of Koenig.
