New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz improved to 3-0 on the year after rolling to a 6-0 victory in its home opener against visiting Lehman College Wednesday on South Turf Field.
 
The Hawks took an opening 2-0 lead after the first 45 minutes of play with Gabriel Cruz giving SUNY New Paltz a lead in the 11th minute, one-touching a ball in the back of the net on a centered pass from the endline by Yare Harris.
 
Brian Boylan came on in the 33rd minute and immediately influenced the Hawks' second goal of the game. Beating his man down the flank, the junior was tripped up to force a free kick just outside the edge of the box. He played the ball in toward the six-yard box with Owen McGarrity coming into head in his second of the season.
 
Despite not playing its cleanest half, SUNY New Paltz still dominated in possession and created ample chances within its offensive third outshooting the Lightning, 11-1 prior to halftime.
 
 
"We didn't play the way we wanted to in the first half," Boylan said. "We came up with two goals though so that's nothing to complain about… We have a lot to improve on though. We didn't pass the way we wanted to. We didn't find the right feet, so going into this weekend that's something that we're definitely going to work on."
 
The lone real chance Lehman had in the half was an attempt from well outside the box, with TK trying to catch 6-foot, 4-inch Christian Micheli off his line, but the junior had his arm outstretched ready for the save with the ball going just outside the cross bar and out of play.  
SUNY New Paltz held the Lightning without a single shot in the second half, while adding four more goals to solidify the rout.
 
In the 65th, Papis Konate got in front of a quick re-start by Lehman off a free kick, the Lightning stopped thinking the play would re-set but the official let play on with Kieran Weber taking advantage as he weaved a ball through to Philip Varner. Varner took a few touches before burying his first of the season just outside the six-yard box to push the score to 3-0.
 
Boylan capitalized with another five minutes later, striking a ball played by Konate to secure his first collegiate goal.
 
"It felt great to get my first goal and first assist in collegiate soccer. It felt amazing," he said. "It was flying right away. Once you get onto the field and you know you can make an impact and do the things that you've been working on in practice there's nothing better honestly."
 
The junior didn't stop there, as he made a nice run down the right flank, beating his defender and centering a ball across the six-yard box to Brandon Davenport running in, who slid and got a touch on the pass to bury the Hawks' fifth of the afternoon. SUNY New Paltz then put away one more in the 90th, as Cruz found Alejandro Londono in the middle of the box for his first collegiate goal.
 
The Hawks ended with 26 shots, 12 of frame to just one shot total for the Lightning, nothing on target. Micheli earned the win after starting and playing nearly 80 minutes with Joe Washington coming into preserve the shutout.
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to South Turf Field Saturday, hosting Union College at 1 p.m.

Post-Game Featuring Brian Boylan


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