FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia can still qualify for the SUNYAC Men's Soccer Tournament despite its 2-1 loss Friday to New Paltz at University Stadium.

The Blue Devils (2-4-2 SUNYAC, 8-6-2 overall) need to upset second-place Oneonta at 2 p.m. Saturday to secure the sixth and final playoff berth. That's because the two teams currently two points ahead of them, Geneseo and Plattsburgh, play each other and Fredonia would overtake the team that loses that matchup.

Should Geneseo and Plattsburgh tie and all three teams finish with 11 points, Fredonia would get in ahead of Plattsburgh because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Blue Devils could have made things easier for themselves with a better outcome Friday against the visiting Hawks, who entered the weekend already having been eliminated from playoff consideration. In addition, New Paltz played the final 28 minutes one man down following a second of two yellow cards against defender Sebastian Gordon-Somers-Archer.

"All week," Fredonia Head Coach P.J. Gondek said, "we talked about New Paltz being a dangerous team to play when they have nothing to play for, and they were just that."

With the teams scoreless in the first half, Fredonia goalkeeper Ty Bentham (Columbus, Ind.) kept New Paltz off he board with a diving save -- yet it wasn't 0-0 much longer. As a result of the play, the Hawks received a corner kick. After the ball was played out of the box, Andres Salcedo blasted a low shot from beyond the 18-yard-line. Bentham made the initial save with two hands but was unable to control the rebound. Hawk freshman Jared Sparks pounced on the ball and put a short shot inside the left post. It was the first collegiate goal for Sparks.

The Hawks added to their lead with a goal by Kevin Doorley early in the 78th minute. Ryan Martinez earned the assist when he brought the ball through midfield and split two defenders, then delivered a short cross to Doorley for his fourth goal of the season.

That insurance tally eventually became the game-winning goal when senior Ryan Ross (Grand Island, N.Y.) put Fredonia on the board in the 88th minute. After a teammate's shot was blocked by a New Paltz defender, Ross slid a ball across the goal crease and into the far corner for his fifth goal of the season. The Blue Devils then went into full scramble mode but were unable to score the equalizer.

"We have to quickly put this behind us," Gondek said, "because we have a win-and-we're-in situation tomorrow."

Saturday's game vs. Oneonta has a 2 p.m. kickoff. A ceremony recognizing the Blue Devil seniors will be held prior to the game.