It may seem like a cliche, but Saturday does begin a whole new season for the State University of New York at New Paltz men's soccer squad. For only the third time in the long history of Hawk soccer, SUNY New Paltz has earned a second straight trip to the SUNYAC Championship Tournament. Having finished third in the regular season SUNYAC standings, the NCAA DIII Region III seventh ranked Hawks will host conference sixth seed Plattsburgh State at 11 a.m. on South Turf Field.
 
The Cardinals, which finished the regular season with a 7-7-3 overall record and a 2-4-3 SUNYAC mark, are no strangers to the SUNYAC Tournament. They have appeared in 24 conference tournaments since 1998, have been finalists in 11 tournaments and have won the SUNYAC title five times, the last coming in 2013. Since first playing the Hawks in 1960, Plattsburgh holds a 35-13-3 mark over SUNY New Paltz, which includes this season's 1-0 victory for the Hawks.
 
The Cardinals needed a tie or a win to gain entry to this year's tournament. Last Saturday they tied Buffalo State 2-2 to lock up the sixth seed in the tournament. On Tuesday, Plattsburgh concluded its regular season with a 3-0 loss to North Country rival St. Lawrence University.
 
Midfield has been the Cardinals offensive strength this season. Sophomore John Hayes (Pearl River, NY) scored three game winners this season for the Cardinals; his five goals and two assists placed him second offensively for Plattsburgh. Leading the team with seven goals and nine assists, with two game winning goals, is fellow second year player Brian Coughlin (Pearl River, NY). Senior Juan Velez (Cuenca, Ecuador) lands third with four goals (one a game winner) and one assist. Senior Rocky Bujuj (Yorktown Heights, NY) has four goals from his midfield position. Junior Dylan Shalvey (Cavan, Ireland) has two goals and two assists on the season.
 
Defensively, the Cardinals have allowed 22 goals for a 1.29 goals-against-average, limiting opponents to 175 shots and giving up just 71 corner kicks all season.

Sophomore goalie Teddy Healy (Amityville, NY) started 15 games with a 6-7-2 record, and finished the regular season with a 1.40 goals-against-average, allowing 22 goals. Healy recorded five shutouts for the season.
 
The Hawks enter Saturday's match hoping to rid themselves of the memory of last season's conference semifinal upset against Oswego at home 1-0 home. Ironically, the SUNY New Paltz's final regular season win this season was last Saturday's 3-1 away victory over that very same Lakers squad. SUNY New Paltz finished the regular season with a 9-4-3 record overall and a 6-2-1 SUNYAC record, identical to Oneonta's SUNYAC record; as Oneonta defeated New Paltz 3-1 in the regular rotation, the Red Dragons earned the first round bye with their second place finish, bumping the Hawks to the conference third seed position.