ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team dropped a 2-1 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) decision to No. 13/14 SUNY Oneonta on Friday afternoon at Red Dragon Field, as Oneonta relied on a 68th-minute goal and a big 81st-minute save to come away with the victory.
 
Oneonta is ranked at No. 13 in the D3soccer.com Men's Top-25 Poll and No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Men's Top-25 Poll.
 
With Oneonta up 2-1 in the 81st minute, the Red Dragons' junior goalkeeper Nicholas Giordano produced the most important save of the game by stopping the would-be equalizer. The Cardinals were pressuring when the ball came into the box just in front of Giordano. The ball bounced off a couple of heads before settling in front of senior defender Bryan Kilpatrick (Endicott, N.Y./Endicott), who fired a shot that appeared to be a certain goal. As the shot was heading to goal, Giordano stuck out his left hand to make the save and deflect the ball off to the side.
 
Plattsburgh State drops to 8-4-0 overall (2-2-0 SUNYAC) with the loss and next visits SUNY New Paltz tomorrow at 1 p.m. Oneonta rises to 8-1-1 overall (4-1-0 SUNYAC) and next hosts SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 1 p.m.
 
Oneonta got on the board in the sixth minute. Freshman midfielder Roberto Ventura rushed down the wing into the box before sending a centering pass to senior forward Cory Santangelo. Santangelo, who was crashing toward the goal, one-touched a pass into the back of the net to give the Red Dragons a 1-0 lead.
 
Plattsburgh State, which had outshot Oneonta, 2-1, in the early stages of the contest, tied the game in the 26th minute. Junior forward Chris Robertson (Thiells, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional [N.J.]) drove down toward the far right side of the 18-yard box before finding the feet of junior forward Alex Price (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) across the opposite side of the box. Price immediately shot the ball on the ground that beat the charging Giordano to put the Cardinals on the board.
 
Ventura netted the eventual game-winner in the 68th minute. Santangelo served a ball in from outside the box that floated over the defense toward the right post. Ventura then ran in and hit a volley that went directly into the back of the net.
 
Oneonta held the upper hand in both shots (10-9) and corner kicks (5-4).
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Patrick Feeley (Harriman, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) shouldered the loss for Plattsburgh State, making two saves in 82:18 of work. Sophomore goalkeeper Kiernan Kirby (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) played the final 7:42 but did not face a single shot. Giordano turned aside five shots in the win for Oneonta.