Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Junior Alex Shkreli scored the game's only goal and the SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team held Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) at bay as the Red Dragons defeated the Engineers, 1-0, in a non-league game at Renwyck Field. Oneonta St. improves to 3-2-0, while RPI falls to 2-1-1.

The Red Dragons had the game's first solid chance at a goal in the 34th minute when senior Raymond Fitzpatrick (Garden City, NY/Garden City) headed a corner cross by freshman Justin Rivera (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) to the top left of the goal before RPI sophomore goalkeeper Craig Bennett (Oakdale, NY/Connetquot) grabbed the ball out of the air.

The Red Dragons got on the scoreboard in the 19th minute off solid ball movement that resulted in the goal by Shkreli (Bedford, NY/Fox Lane). Senior Jonathan Kowalski (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) sent the ball from the left side near the top of the box to the lower right to junior Eric Fortier (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington). Fortier crossed it to Shkreli, who was inside the six-yard box, and he volleyed the ball under the crossbar for his third goal of the year.

The goal against was the first allowed by RPI this season.

Rensselaer had an opportunity to tie the game early in the second half but sophomore Jared Doolan (Bend, OR/Bend) saw his header from in tight to the goal stopped by senior Max Siegelman (Roslyn, NY/Roslyn), the Red Dragons keeper. The Engineers managed to sustain pressure throughout the latter half of the second frame but could not generate strong scoring chances.

Siegelman finished with two saves in the win for Oneonta St., which held a 12-10 advantage in shots. Bennett stopped three shots for RPI, which held the edge in corner kicks, 5-2.

Rensselaer returns to action on Friday night when it hosts SUNY Potsdam at 7pm. Oneonta St. also plays next on Friday when it hosts Christopher Newport, the top-ranked team in the nation according to the latest NSCAA Top 25, at 4pm.