The New Paltz men’s soccer team completed play at the Adidas Kick-Off Classic with a 2-2 double-overtime tie against host Wheaton. Wheaton has qualified for the NCAA tournament the past five years.
“To come away from our season opening weekend road trip with a win and a tie against NCAA caliber teams, I am pleased,” stated head coach Eric Watson.
The Wheaton Lyons took to the board first as Jake Wagner sent a long throw to the far post toward junior Adam Sussman, who headed in his first goal of the year at the 31:39 mark.
Less than 10 minutes later, New Paltz senior Robert Mendes (Mineola, NY/Wheatley) served a ball from the left side of the box to the right, and junior Anton Shipman (Howard Beach, NY/Molloy) chipped a shot over Wheaton’s keeper to knot the game at 40:54.
Wheaton took the lead again in the second half at 57:43 when Eric Driscoll buried a penalty kick. The Lyons had a chance to make it a two-goal game in the 73rd minute, but an initial Blue and White shot from inside the box was stopped by New Paltz senior keeper Patrick Carlucci (Goshen, NY/Goshen), and a follow-up shot sailed wide.
The Hawks again drew even at 77:35 when junior Harper Jaroff (Old Westbury, NY/Wheatley) sent a free kick past the keeper, and the teams went to overtime.
New Paltz was out shot 17-8 during regulation, before having 3-0 Hawk edge during extra time. New Paltz’s best chance during overtime came when Jaroff’s shot from five yards out was blocked in the 99th minute.
Carlucci finished with four stops for the Hawks, who recorded eight of the game’s 11 corner kicks.
New Paltz advances to 1-0-1 on the season and will return to action on Tuesday when they host Cobleskill at 4:30pm.
