POTSDAM, N.Y.  – John Hayes (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) continued his outstanding senior year with his fifth career brace, leading the Plattsburgh State men's soccer team to a 4-0 road State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win over Potsdam. The brace was the second of the season for Hayes, as he now has 12 goals in 2024.

Modou Badjie (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) got the second goal of the game for the Cards after an own goal put the team up 1-0 early in the first half. Tristan Laundree (Keeseville, N.Y./AuSable Valley), Jack Murphy (Blauvelt, N.Y./Tappan Zee), and Santiago Vargas (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) each tallied assists for the Cards. Teddy Healy (Amityville, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) earned the win in net, playing just under 68 minutes, while Matthew D'Ippolito (Baldwin Place, N.Y./Somers) made one save in just over 22 minutes of action as the pair combined for the shutout in goal.

Plattsburgh State dominated possession as they outshot the Bears 17-6, including eight shots on goal to Potsdam's two. Corners were nearly even between the two teams, as the Cards had four and the Bears had three.

The Cardinals improve to 10-2-3 (5-2-1 SUNYAC) and will next play SUNY Canton on the road on Saturday, Oct. 26. While the team has already clinched a playoff spot, they will look for a win Saturday to secure at least a home playoff game in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament. Potsdam falls to 5-8-3 (1-6-1 SUNYAC) on the season, and next travel to Morrisville on Saturday, Oct. 26 for their SUNYAC finale.

A gift form Potsdam got Plattsburgh on the board to start the game in the 10^th minute, as the team's second corner of the game resulted in an own goal. Laundree took the corner and fired in a beautiful ball towards the six-yard box, where a Bears' head sent the ball directly into the net for a 1-0 Cardinal lead.

Not too long after in the 21^st minute, a Laundree pass once again resulted in another Plattsburgh score, as this time his own teammate was involved. Laundree fired a ball from the opposite side of the 18-yard box to Badjie, who was about 10-yards from the goal. Unmarked, the senior forward was able to control and get off a strong shot attempt that went through the legs of a Bears defender and into the goal. The score marked Badjie's third goal of the season.

The 2-0 score held into the second half, where Hayes took over the offense for the Cards, tallying his first goal of the second stanza in the 56^th minute. A corner kick for Plattsburgh was taken by Vargas, who deposited an excellent pass into the box, where Hayes was able to rise above the surrounding players for the header and score.

Hayes picked up his second goal of the 65^th minute, as Murphy played a brilliant ball from just inside midfield to his senior midfielder just outside the box, where Hayes was onside and able to get to the goal unchallenged for the score. With his 12^th goal of the year, he is now tied for third in the conference in goals and is fifth in points at 26.

Over the final 25-plus minutes, the Cardinals continued to control the game, securing a big road win as they look to host a SUNYAC playoff game for the first time since a semifinal game in November of 2019.

Ian Schwartz took the loss in goal for Potsdam, making four saves in just over 74 minutes.