PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team lost in a heartbreaker on Saturday to the Geneseo Knights, falling 1-0 in their State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) finale. With the loss, the Cardinals are eliminated from SUNYAC playoff contention. 
 
For the Cardinals, Teddy Healy (Amityville, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) took the loss, allowing just one goal and making two saves. For the season, his record falls to 6-3-5. Offensively, John Hayes (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) and Brian Coughlan (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) led the team in shots, with Hayes taking four and Coughlan attempting three. The lone goal of the game came from Ben Sanchez, assisted by Vasion Sinjari.
 
The Cardinals fall to 7-3-5 (2-3-4 SUNYAC) as they miss out on SUNYAC playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons. They will play their final game of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. when they host St. Lawrence for non-conference action. Geneseo moves to 8-6-3 (4-3-1 SUNYAC) with the win, and next plays SUNY Poly before postseason action.
 
The game began relatively slowly, with neither team gaining an obvious advantage. With a tie also earning them a spot into the SUNYAC playoffs, it was clear that the Knights were content with Plattsburgh controlling possession early, playing relaxed in the first period. Each team was patient with their chances as well, not taking any extremely difficult looks early, as evidenced by the four total shots for Geneseo and three total for Plattsburgh. 
 
After a scoreless first half, it seemed like it would be more of the same in the second half, with a slow pace over the final 45 minutes. This all changed when the Knights earned back-to-back corner kicks in the 65^thminute, culminating in a Sanchez goal from just inside the far corner of the six-yard box, as he put in a header off a pass into the box from the foot of Sinjari.
 
With the Geneseo goal, Plattsburgh now needed two scores to earn a playoff spot, and immediately stepped on the gas. Over the final 25 minutes, the team put up seven shots and had even more opportunities, carrying the ball on their offensive half of the field for the vast remainder of the game. However, the Cards were unable to find the back of the net, ultimately falling to the Knights for just their third loss of the season in 15 games. 
 
For the Knights, Vincent Maronski Jr. kept a clean sheet for the shutout win, making one save over 90 minutes.