New Paltz, NY — Waiting a year since last taking the field, Kenneth Roby opened up 2021 with a highlight performance.
 
The junior, getting just his third career start, scored his first career hat-trick to propel the State University of New York at New Paltz men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory in its home opener against Union College Thursday.
 
"It feels really good and it feels even better to get the win today," Roby said. "It's my first game back in a very long time and it feels good"
 
SUNY New Paltz's (1-0) season-opener was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but due to weather the game was pushed another 24 hours to Thursday, which felt like the perfect fall atmosphere to host Roby's career afternoon and an overall dominant performance from the Hawks. The hosts controlled the first half and was patient in their attack. They swung through the back and quickly realized the advantage they had on the perimeter with senior captain Spencer Ryczek on the right wing and sophomore Billy Castoro at left back with both commanding the flanks to open up play for junior Philip Varner, Gino Mazzella and Roby up top. 

 
 
"[Union] played in a system that plugged up the middle a little bit, so they just gave us an opportunity to be patient, build to the quick tempo and get around them, which I think the guys did really well," said Hawks coach Kyle Clancy. "So, decision making was good but definitely a lot sharper in the first half. We talked as a team, we got to clean up the execution and the decision making. We just got to be cleaner in the second half and manage the game better, but really good moments.
 
Varner gave SUNY New Paltz its first chance with 36 minutes left in the first, garnering a free kick near the top of the box. His attempt on frame hit the Dutchmen's wall, however, and the opportunity dwindled. The Hawks won the ball back in the midfield soon after, and on a quick re-start following a foul by Union, Varner threaded a pass to Roby who weaved through two defenders in the box but couldn't get his footing to put a dangerous shot on frame. His time came though, and he finally registered the program's first goal of the 2021 season midway through the first half.
 
After winning the ball back on the Dutchmen's defensive half, Castoro played a beautifully placed ball over the top of the defense into the box with Roby recognizing and making a run forward. With the goalkeeper off his line, Roby one-timed his volleyball over the keeper and into the far netting for the score.
 
"Just from technique and execution, it's probably one of the nicest goals we've scored. Every piece of that is difficult," said Clancy, 'But I mean, Ken did the same thing — it wasn't the same type of goal, but against Mount Saint Mary, Brian [Boylan] cut inside played a beautiful ball to Ken who took it down and played the ball across and Gino made the run. Ken just decided to take it one step less and finish on a first-time volley. The technique that that takes to soften a touch and get that over the goalkeeper one time is unbelievable."
 
Goal No. 2 only took about 15 seconds after the re-start. Varner gained possession down the right flank and played a ball through to Roby running on. The Narbeth, PA native, took a good first-touch past the defender trailing and beat the keeper coming up to cut off the angle, slotting his shot underneath the keeper's out-stretched arm to push the Hawks up, 2-0.
 
"The second goal, maybe 10 seconds after kickoff, I was feeling myself after the first goal and decided to make another run and luckily it worked out," Roby said.
 
SUNY New Paltz narrowly made the score 3-0 at the half. Mazzella made a run behind the defender in the box and found himself one-v-one with the keeper. Union's Kenyon Pelletier came off his line and got a foot on the attempt, but Varner was there to clean up in front of the goal with Pelletier still on the ground. The Dutchmen's defenders made a heads up play and deflected the attempt on the open net. Mazzella almost put the ball in on the third rebound, but Union cleared at the goal line to preserve the 2-0 score at the break. 
The Hawks weren't as sharp in the second half, giving the Dutchmen a couple opportunities with set pieces along the box. Union earned two free kicks about 35 yards out early in the final 45 minutes, but both balls played in the box were too long for any player to get behind, allowing SUNY New Paltz goalkeeper Marc DePasquale to make the easy save.
 
The best chance for the visitors came with 22 minutes remaining in the game. A give away in the Hawks' defensive half allowed the Dutchmen to counter and earn a corner. Union played a dangerous ball on the ensuing set piece, with the ball lofting through the six-yard box with no one there to meet it at the back post. About four minutes later, another give-away by SUNY New Paltz gave the Dutchmen a one-v-one with DePasquale, but the attempted chip over the keeper was met with a lackluster execution and DePasquale secured the easy save.
 
Roby and the Hawks put the finishing touches on the victory with 12 minutes to go. Ryan Stevens came off the bench and played a through ball to Roby who beat his defender on the run. With no other decision, the Union defender took Roby down in the box, leading to a penalty kick. SUNY New Paltz's bench were quietly waiting for the whistle to sound so Roby can make his attempt at his third of the day and he did so smoothly, placing his shot low to the left corner and cemented the win. Roby ran over to his teammates with the whole squad embracing near the corner flag getting in on the celebratory result.
 
"At the PK I pointed to the bench and if I scored, I knew I was going over there, luckily I put it away," Roby said.
 
"He's been developing as a player the last few years tremendously well," added Clancy about Roby. "He's got some great experience this summer playing with the [Kingston] Stockade. We saw it last spring and just started to see the real potential of the player he could be. I think he shows in those moments of brilliance what he can create as a player in the final third. I was excited for him, definitely fired the team up and it was really good work."
 
The Hawks ultimately out-shot the Dutchmen, 12-2 with eight of their shots on frame. Both of Union's attempts came in the second half. DePasquale finished with two saves, while Pelletier recorded five on the day.
 
With three games in four days, Clancy gave ample minutes to his bench Thursday, and they produced. Eight different Hawks entered the game and helped in the 3-0 clean sheet. He hopes his depth will carry the program in 2021 as the season continues.
 
"The guys know it and we've told them, we're at least two deep in every position. It creates a high level of competition. They know that they have to work every single practice to earn any minutes that they get, but it builds a lot of confidence for us as a staff, and I think as a team too," Clancy said. "If a guy goes down, we're able to bring a guy on and the level doesn't drop. That is something that's big for us and we want to make sure that we are getting guys minutes and we want to make sure that we're giving guys experience. That's a big challenge. Sometimes on the field there are six or seven guys who have never played a college minute, so you want them to gain that experience and have them learn how to manage a game."
 
SUNY New Paltz is set to play in the Drew Tournament Saturday and Sunday in Madison, NJ. The team opens with Rowan University Saturday at 4 p.m.

Roby Post-Game Interview


Hawks vs. Union Post-Game Highlights

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