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No. 5 Geneseo tops No. 4 Bears 2-0 in men's soccer playoff battle

Posted 11/1/14

POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Geneseo (10-7-2) scored a goal in each half to hand the SUNY Potsdam men's soccer team (9-8-2) a 2-0 loss in the first round of the SUNYAC Playoffs on a cold, rainy Saturday …

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No. 5 Geneseo tops No. 4 Bears 2-0 in men's soccer playoff battle

Posted

POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Geneseo (10-7-2) scored a goal in each half to hand the SUNY Potsdam men's soccer team (9-8-2) a 2-0 loss in the first round of the SUNYAC Playoffs on a cold, rainy Saturday afternoon at Maxcy Turf Field. The Blue Knights advance to face top-seeded Oneonta on Wednesday.

The teams felt each other out for about the first 15 minutes of the half, neither team taking any chances on offense. After trading several long shots, Geneseo was able to turn up its pressure in Potsdam's end. The result was three corner kicks in an eight-minute span. Blue Knight senior midfielder Neil Allen (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) lined up the third attempt in the 25th minute and freshman defender Kevin McGrath (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) headed it into the left side of the net. Defenses controlled the rest of the half and Geneseo held the 1-0 lead into the break.

The Blue Knights continued to press in the second half, keeping the Bears on the defensive. Potsdam sophomore goalie Nick Davies (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) was as sharp as ever in the final period, making six saves. However, Geneseo doubled its lead in the 71st minute. A loose ball popped out to Allen at the left side of the box and he ripped it into the net. Seven minutes later, Bears senior forward Cliff Bondi (Guiderland, N.Y./Guilderland) stopped another shot off a Blue Knight corner kick. Potsdam created a few chances in the closing minutes, but wasn't able to close the gap.

Davies finished with eight stops, while Geneseo junior goalie Logan Calvey (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) finished with three to earn his eighth shutout of the season.

The contest marks the end of the careers of all-time leading scorer Eduardo Figueroa (Rochester, N.Y./Dr. Freddie Thomas), captain Alex Minsker (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster), Bondi, Canton native Travis Jordan (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams), Brian Emery (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) and captain Conor Engle. Potsdam's Class of 2014 won more games (29) than any other in the soccer program's history and owns three of its four postseason berths.