MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNYIT Men's Soccer Team (1-1-1, 1-0 NEAC) was three minutes and forty-four seconds away from going winless through its first three games for the first time since the 2011 season. All that changed in an instant, as a goal in the 87th minute followed by another 17 seconds into overtime lifted SUNYIT to a win over newly-minted NEAC squad, the Pennsylvania College of Technology Wildcats (2-1, 0-1 NEAC).
SUNYIT appeared to have the better of play in the first half. Bryan Kilpatrick (Endicott, N.Y. / Union-Endicott) delivered one particularly nice ball on a free kick that SUNYIT was unable to capitalize on, and that was followed shortly by an excellent cross from Luke Bogar (New Hartford, N.Y. / New Hartford) that Ben Toach (New Hartford, N.Y. / New Hartford) just narrowly missed punching in.
In spite of these opportunities, however, the Wildcats would end the half down 1-0 on a goal by Penn striker Tristan Smith. Smith took advantage of a defensive miscue by SUNYIT that allowed him an easy score on an open net during the 25th minute.
Down one, SUNYIT continued to apply offensive pressure, especially late. Steven Delizin (Lake Worth, Fla. / Southwestern College) came off the bench to provide a strike, nearly scoring with 21 minutes to go. The play was kept alive via a good hustle-play from Toach, then a nifty interior pass to Delizin allowed the senior to turn and beat his man before firing a low-angle shot that just missed the far corner of the goal.
Finally SUNYIT's relentlessness would pay off. With less than four minutes to go, senior Matt Arcidiacono (Oneonta, N.Y. / Oneonta) played a good ball into the box. Arcidiacono was excellent all game as one of just two starting seniors for the Wildcats, and his pass was booted around briefly before Vincent Seruhungu (Syracuse, N.Y. / Fowler) drove it home to tie the game 1-1.
With the end of regulation three minutes later, the two teams entered into sudden-death overtime. The visitors started with the ball, but turned it over on a steal by SUNYIT defender Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick's steal ricocheted to the other end of the field and just over the midline, where rookie Mike Korszun (Schenectady, N.Y. / Schenectady) was able to control possession. Korszun immediately turned and fired a long through-ball upfield to a streaking Francesco Tine (Chatham, N.Y. / Chatham). Tine, who had not played at all during regulation, received the pass with a shoulder already past his defender, then beat the oncoming keeper to stun the visitors and give SUNYIT a 2-1 win just 17 seconds into overtime.
Goalkeeper Jesse Yanarella (Wappingers Falls, N.Y. / Ketchum) played well in picking up his first win, recording 4 saves while also smartly defending several cross-attempts.
In a stark departure from the star-studded teams of SUNYIT's recent past, all six Wildcat goals so far this year have been scored by different players, and five separate players have recorded the team's 5 assists.
SUNYIT will wrap up a 4-game home stand this Wednesday night as they host Clarkson for a non-league contest. Game time is slated for 5:00 pm.
