MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNYIT Men's Soccer Team (5-0-1, 1-0-0 NEAC) beat the Hamilton Continentals on Tuesday night for the first time in the history of the two teams' rivalry. Matt Arcidiacono (Oneonta, N.Y. / Oneonta) netted the game-winner 31-minutes into the contest off an assist from Diego Montaleza (New York, N.Y. / MLK).
Heading into tonight's game, SUNYIT held a lifetime record of 0-10 against the Continentals, losing to them in every season since 2003. In addition, the Wildcats had scored only one goal ever against the Hamilton team (during a 5-1 loss in 2009).
Earlier in the year the Wildcats ended a similar losing streak against another local rival, Utica. The Wildcats beat the Pioneers 1-0, their first win since 2006.
The deciding goal came at the 31:39 mark. Montaleza started the play by curling a free kick to the left side of the goal. Somehow the ball got behind the defense where Arcidiacono gathered it and let lose a shot that banked off the goalie and in for the first score.
The second half would belong to SUNYIT goalkeeper Malick Faye (Bronx, N.Y. / MLK). The three-time defending NEAC goalkeeper of the year lived up to his billing in the final 45-minutes, making play after play to keep a torrid Hamilton attack at bay.
Faye finished the game with 6 saves to go along with a number of great plays on corners and free kicks that don't always show up in the box score.
"We have one of the best goalkeepers in the country," said SUNYIT Head Coach Peterson Jerome, "in Division III…I've been here 11 years and I don't think I've seen one close to his level, and tonight he showed his true self in the second half."
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 5-0-1 on the season. It is the best start in school history, and the Wildcats have now tied for the school record with their 5th consecutive win.