Box Score New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz men's soccer team's season came to an end Wednesday afternoon, losing to No. 3 seeded The College at Brockport in the semifinals of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament.
 
Hosting their first home playoff game since 2004, The Hawks never capitalized on their opportunities against the Golden Eagles. SUNY New Paltz out-shot The College at Brockport, 11-9, and gained five corner kicks throughout the match, compared to the Golden Eagles two.
 
"I think we definitely had a good enough team to make a deep run," said Hawks coach Kyle Clancy. "When you look at the season as a whole, I think it was a really good step for us to take as a program. It's a tough way to go out, especially when we didn't play our best."
 
SUNY New Paltz found itself in trouble 18 minutes into the match when a penalty in the box by senior defensemen Brendan McGaley led to a College at Brockport penalty kick. Freshman forward Matthew Stefaniw put his attempt past senior goalkeeper John Guzzo for the Golden Eagles, giving them the lead, 1-0.
 
For the rest of the first half, the Hawks were on a mission to come back from the early deficit. At 34:57, a foul by The College at Brockport allowed for a SUNY New Paltz free kick outside the 18. Junior defensemen Luke Dole got a head on the ball, but sailed the shot high.
 
Exactly two minutes later, the Hawks made another run. This time, however, junior Gordon Walker missed his header shot wide left. SUNY New Paltz did not force the Golden Eagles to make a save until 42:12, on a rocket shot right to the keeper by sophomore midfielder Schuyler Mann.
 
Things got scary for the Hawks at the end of half. The College at Brockport made a run of its own to force a corner kick with a minute left in the first. The Golden Eagles came up unsuccessful, ending the half with SUNY New Paltz down, 1-0.
 
The Hawks and The College at Brockport each jabbed at each other once to start the second, forcing one another's keepers to make saves within the first seven minutes of the half.
 
For most of the second half, momentum went back and forth between SUNY New Paltz and Golden Eagles, as both teams found opportunities. The College at Brockport's biggest opportunity, however, came at 65:08, when Stefaniw capitalized again for The College at Brockport. His second goal of the game gave the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead, and fully swung momentum on their side.
 
With The College at Brockport dropping back to focus on its defense, the Hawks had multiple chances to one in the back of the net themselves, racking up four corner kicks throughout the half.
 
SUNY New Paltz couldn't break through, ultimately losing the match, 2-0 and concluding the season 11-6-1 overall.
 
"To sit through and watch the other team celebrate, that's what makes you hungrier," Clancy said. "A lot of good steps this season, it's good to make some history. But I think these guys are hungry for more."

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