NEW PALTZ, NY- The SUNY New Paltz men’s soccer team hosted SUNY Old Westbury Saturday afternoon on Alumni Field and held on for a 4-3 victory. The game featured 36 combined fouls and seven yellow cards.
The Hawks had three chances in the first three minutes to take the early advantage. The first came just one minute in when a free kick by Tommy Garafola (Richmond Hill/St. Francis Prep) was heading to the upper right corner when the Panthers goalkeeper made the save. A minute later, David Gardiner (Malta/Ballston Spa) struck a shot and the goalkeeper deflected the ball, but the ball was on the end line when a defender cleared the ball away and saving the goal. Seconds later, Mike Santalesa (New Hyde Park/St. Francis Prep) took the corner kick and found Jimmy Altadonna (Massapequa) for the header, but once again the Hawks were denied a goal by the Panthers goalkeeper.
The Panthers had a chance in the 11th minute when Fabian Santibanez shot off the free kick hit the post. In the 12th minute, Santalesa took the free kick and found the back of the net for the early 1-0 advantage. The Hawks came right back 50 seconds later when Altadonna forced a turnover 40 yards out and dribbled by the defender and struck the shot to the lower left corner for the 2-0 advantage.
In the 33rd minute, Old Westbury had a chance to cut the lead in half, a shot by Santibanez went over the Hawks goalkeeper, but Anton Shipman (Howard Beach/Molloy) saved the goal and kicked away from danger. Seconds later, Santibanez was taken down in the box and the Panthers netted their first goal of the game in the 34th minute on a penalty kick.
The Hawks had a chance to extend the lead to 3-1, with five seconds remaining in the half when Gardiner’s kick hit the crossbar. The Hawks went into the half leading 2-1 and held an 8-2 advantage in corners.
In the 57th minute, the Panthers had a chance to tie the contest but Peter Carmel (Ronkonkoma/The Stony Brook School) made a diving save to keep the Hawks up 2-1. Less than a minute later, Carmel denied the Panthers again making a diving save on a shot by Roland White.
In the 60th minute, Altadonna flicked the ball across the box to Gardiner whose shot was made by the diving Panthers goalkeeper.
Old Westbury evened the contest at 2-2 in the 74th minute when a free kick by Mathais Coni found Santibanez for the header.
The Hawks took the 3-2 lead in the 79th minute when Lucas Natel (Mineola) passed to Nick DiPaola (Huntington) in the corner and his cross found Garafola for the goal. 39 seconds later, the Hawks would tack on another when Santalesa sent a through ball to Natel for the 4-2 advantage.
The Panthers would pull within one goal in the 84th minute, when Santibanez struck a shot from 22 yards out to the upper right corner for the goal.
William Montenegro recorded the loss in net, saving six shots. Old Westbury falls to 2-2-0 overall.
Peter Carmel recorded the win in net, saving four shots. The Hawks improve to 3-0-1 overall and return to the field tomorrow against Vassar at 2 p.m. on the campus of Vassar College.
