Box Score

North Adams, MA – Rensselaer rallied for a 4-2 win over the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), in North Adams on Wednesday afternoon. Gary Sroka (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) recorded a hat trick in the victory, helping the Red Hawks come back from a 2-1 deficit. RPI, which improves to 7-5-4 on the season, hosts Oneonta St. on Saturday night (6pm).

Casey Baker (Hudson, OH) scored 31 seconds into the game giving the Trailblazers a 1-0 lead. The shot from just outside the box was hooking very wide to the right, until it struck an RPI defender in the back and caromed all the way into the left corner of the net.

RPI dominated the action though for much of the game. Trailblazer freshman goalie Adam Tarsa (Adams, MA) made his 1st start of the year and was up to the challenge saving seven shots in the 1st half.

Sroka scored on a penalty kick in the 40th minute after he was taken down in the box by MCLA defender Camilo Bermudez (Lenox, MA) to knot it at 1-1.

The second half was all RPI for the 1st 15 minutes, but they couldn’t break through, at that point the Trailblazers begun to carry the play, getting several chances before Kevin Duquette (Whittinsville, MA) headed home a cross midway through the half from Jason Mlodzianowski (Schenectady, NY) making it 2-1. Mark Cioccari (Stamford, NY) also assisted on the goal.

MCLA carried the play until the 10 minute mark where RPI again went on the attack scoring three goals in the final nine minutes to give it the 4-2 win.

Sroka scored three goals and Sean Fleury (Princeton, MA) added the game winner; sophomore Michael Long added two assists. Adam Tarsa, who played well in defeat, ended the day with 12 saves. Rensselaer Goalie Jeffrey Krywanczyk (Chazy, NY) received the win without making a save.

It was the MCLA Trailblazers 1st game on their new field turf. RPI (7-5-4) hosts Oneonta St. on Saturday at 6:00. The Blazers will end their season this Saturday at home against Fitchburg State College at 1:00 PM.