New Paltz, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz men's soccer team dropped just its second game of the season Saturday, falling to visiting King's College, 3-2 in an exciting back-and-forth match.
The Hawks (4-2 overall) never led in the game, playing catch-up since the 13th minute when August Axtman scored the opening goal for the Monarchs (4-1). It was the first real chance on net King's had to start the game and Axtman had a little help, as his initial shot deflected off a defender and was misdirected into the goal out of the grasp of SUNY New Paltz goalkeeper
Marc DePasquale.
Coltan Goodwine answered for the Hawks five minutes later with an impressive strike from about 20 yards out.
James Maltes earned a free kick after he was tripped receiving the ball just outside the box. Goodwine stepped up and struck a dagger into the left corner of the goal, giving Monarchs goalkeeper Connor McKeown no chance at making what would have been a highlight save. Instead, the game was tied up at ones with about 26 minutes remaining in the game.
However, King's responded with a remarkable strike of its own five minutes later. SUNY New Paltz had trouble clearing a lofted cross in the box and the Monarchs' Aidan DeCamillo made them pay, as the second failed clearance bounced just inside the box where DeCamillo perfectly volleyed into the back of the net.
"I've been telling them. We've gotten four shutouts in five games, but we haven't been playing like a team that has deserved four shutouts in five games or has earned it I should say," said Hawks coach
Kyle Clancy. "We've been making a lot of mistakes and we've done video and we've gone over it with them. We need to clean those things up, because if we don't clean it up more clinical teams will finish on us and that second goal it was a great finish. That takes a lot of technique and that guy did a really nice job with it."
SUNY New Paltz regrouped at halftime and owned the first 15 minutes or so of the second half of play. The Hawks found space behind King's back line and managed to play dangerous balls to the corner, getting off quality services in front of goal.
Ryan Hilliard earned his team a corner, after receiving a great pass in behind from
Spencer Ryczek. Hilliard won the one-v-one matchup with his defender and earned a throw along the near sideline. Doorley threw in the ball toward the six-yard box, which was miss-cleared by the Monarchs, finding the foot of
Schuyler Mann atop of the box who played a ball through to Doorley running in behind. Doorley threaded a low cross to
James Maltes crashing in who put away the opportunity to tie the game up at two.
"We went over the adjustments at halftime and we basically wanted to play through our defensive mids," Clancy said. "[King's] apply a lot of pressure, so holding their spot, getting it right back and quickly working it wide, and they were able to do that really well. We just created better chances, better decision making in the final third, better individual play, so that's what I kind of take from it. They adjusted well and they followed through well. Now we just have to be more clinical. We had a lot more chances where the ball just has a magnet to the goalie right now. It's just something we need to work on."
SUNY New Paltz had ample chances in the final 30 minutes of the game, totaling 13 shots and five corners. Its best opportunity came off a corner by Doorley, which he played nicely in the back of the six-yard box.
Luke Dole got on the end of the cross, heading an attempt at goal, which McKeown initially saved, but the deflection hit off an arm of the Monarchs defender, but was missed for the potential game-changing penalty kick.
The momentum swung toward King's, and not long after in the 84 th minute, DeCamillo came up big again with the go-ahead goal to help the Monarchs regain the lead. An unintentional handball by
Philip Varner just outside the 18-yard box led to a free kick by King's. The wall blocked the initial attempt, but DeCamillo was there for the rebound.
SUNY New Paltz continued creating chances even with the clock ticking down. It had one last attempt on a corner taken quickly by Varner, who played a curving ball toward the back post. Dole met the cross half way, flying above defenders, but he couldn't get the shot down with the ball sailing high of the goal.
"Clearing the box, technique, following our marks, those are all things that we just need to get better at," Clancy said following the loss. "We will keep addressing it. We will keep doing video and we'll keep working on it at practice and hopefully limit it as much as possible."
Maltes and Mann each recorded a team-high three shots, while Varner, Doorley and
Brandon Davenport followed with two. DePasquale saw eight shots against and collected five saves.
Next up for the Hawks is a road matchup against Farmingdale State at 1 p.m.
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