NEW PALTZ, NY- The SUNY New Paltz men’s soccer team returns to the field with high expectations in 2009. After a 7-8-4 overall and 3-6-1 in the SUNYAC record in the 2008 season, the Hawks are coming off their best season since 2004 when the team finished 12-10 overall.
Sophomore forward James Altadonna (Massapequa Park/Ma
ssapequa) returns as the top goal scorer in the conference with 12 goals in 2008. Junior transfer Dave Gardiner (Malta/Ballston Spa) will be playing along side of Altadonna to facilitate more scoring opportunities for the Hawks. Sophomore co-captain Tommy Garafola (Richmond Hill/St. Francis Prep) will look to provide Altadonna and Gardiner with scoring opportunities as he did last year, connecting with Altadonna four times. Garafola was tied for fifth in the conference with seven assists and led the team with 41 shots. In 2008, the Hawks scored 19 more goals than in 2007.
Senior co-captain Anton Shipman (Howard Beach/Molloy) will direct a young group of defenders. In 2008, the Hawks outscored their opponents for only the second time in 12 years, the last coming in 2003. The Hawks allowed seven less goals in 2008 than in 2007.
Junior goalkeeper Peter Carmel (Ronkonkoma/The Stony Brook School) will start this year in net for the Hawks. Carmel started one game last year, recording the 1-0 loss to Oswego on a rainy afternoon with wet field conditions. In 190 minutes of play, he all
owed two goals (0.97 GAA) for the year and made 11 saves.
The Hawks will open the season September 1st at home against Rutgers-Newark at 4:30 pm. The remaining home games will be against Old Westbury, Brockport, Geneseo, Potsdam, Plattsburgh, Union, Skidmore and Rensselaer. They open on the road against Rhode Island College in the Stevens Tournament on September 5th. They will also compete against Hunter in the Stevens Tournament on September 6th. The remaining road schedule will consist of Vassar, Williams, Oneonta, Buffalo State, Fredonia, Bard, Oswego and Cortland.
