Buffalo, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz conference championship run came to an end Wednesday against the No. 1 team in the standings, Buffalo State.
The No. 5 seeded Hawks (9-8-2 overall, 5-3-1 SUNYAC) made the long trip to Western New York, ready to get their second win of the season against the previously unbeaten Bengals (14-1-3, 7-1-1), but after finding the equalizer late, they were answered by a game-winner three minutes later to seal their 2-1 fate.
The game was evenly matched with each team tallying six first-half shots and SUNY New Paltz holding the slight advantage in the category, 15-12, including 9-5 in shots on target. Buffalo State generated more set pieces however, registering five corners to the Hawks' one.
Scoreless through 70-plus, the Bengals found the go-ahead goal off one of their said corners as Diego Rivera found the service of Manu Prieto for the score, pushing the hosts ahead 1-0 in the 76th minute.
However, for the second-straight game, junior captain
Alex Wyant picked up his team and scored the equalizer. He did the same in the team's quarterfinal win over Plattsburgh and was adamantly determined to score another Wednesday in the semifinal round. He finished on a pass laid in by freshman
Bryan Lizama in the 85th to create a 1-1 stalemate.
The jubilation of the goal didn't last long, as Buffalo State snatched back momentum and found the back of the net in the 88th to sneak away with the 2-1 win.
Starting keeper
Christian Micheli (two saves) started the game and held a shutout through 65-plus minutes, but an injury forced the senior out of the game.
Matt Katz came in for his first action of the season and let up both goals and made one save.
Offensively, Wyant and freshman forward
Brandon Dhanoolal led the team with three shots apiece, Wyant also played the full 90 alongside backline
Samuel Snider, Owen McGarity and
Ryan Bochenski.
Following Wednesday's semifinal results, Buffalo State will host No. 3 seeded Cortland Saturday in the championship final at Coyer Field.
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