Men’s Soccer Defeats Cortland; First Win Since 2004

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The New Paltz men’s soccer team scored two goals in each half and defeated Cortland, 4-2, Saturday afternoon in SUNYAC action. It is the first win for the Hawks over Cortland since 2004 when they defeated the Red Dragons 3-2.

For Cortland, juniors Andrew Schwert and Steve Bartkowski each scored a goal, while senior Logan Keeney and sophomore Lukas Wear collected one assist apiece. Graduate student Steve Axtell made one save.

Sophomore James Altadonna (Massapequa Park/Massapequa) led New Paltz with two goals. Junior Dave Gardiner (Malta/Ballston Spa) and freshman Nicholas DiPaola (Huntington) chipped in with a goal and assist each, while sophomores Joe Emberger (Poughkeepsie/Roy C. Ketcham) and Tommy Garafola (Richmond Hill/St. Francis Prep) recorded one assist apiece. Junior goalie Peter Carmel (Ronkonkoma/The Stony Brook School) stopped one shot.

New Paltz opened up a quick 2-0 lead with goals in the ninth and 11th minutes. Gardiner started the scoring when he settled a cross from Garafola in the box and tucked a shot into the upper right of the goal. Less than three minutes later, Gardiner fed a pass to Altadonna on the left side, who one-timed a shot inside the right post.

Cortland made it a 2-1 game, three minutes, 15 seconds before the half. Keeney’s original shot was deflected by a defender and Schwert jumped on the rebound with a one-time left-footed shot inside the left post.

The Hawks, however, went ahead, 3-1, just 2:48 into the second half when DiPaola sent a shot inside the right post after he carried into the right side of the box.

In the 60th minute, the Red Dragons had an excellent chance to pull to within a goal, but New Paltz senior Anton Shipman (Howard Beach/Molloy) made a diving clear of freshman Simon Park’s shot toward an open net.

After losing a player to a red card in the 66th minute, Cortland capitalized on a corner kick in the 68th minute. Carmel went high to play a ball by Cortland junior Matt Kutzer but the ball slipped from his hands to the far post. Wear put on touch the ball and Bartkowski finished off the play with the goal.

New Paltz struck for an insurance goal in the 75th minute. Altadonna one-timed a pass from DiPaola on the right side from eight yards out for his team-high 11th goal of the season.

Steve Axtell recorded the loss in net as Cortland falls to 5-9-2 overall and 4-4-1 in the SUNYAC.

Peter Carmel recorded the win in net, saving one shot as the Hawks improve to 7-9-2 overall and 2-7-0 in the SUNYAC.

The Hawks finish up their regular season at home against RPI at 3:00 p.m. on Alumni Field, Wednesday, October 28.