Fredonia State men win, women tie in home soccer games
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Fredonia State’s Sophia Alesi makes a run down the wing during the Blue Devils season opener against the Alfred University Saxons. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State’s Jacob Gennaro boxes out a Penn State Behrend forward during Wednesday’s game. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State's Nicki Barlow delivers a pass during Wednesday's game. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State's Jules Monlea gets ready to make a pass during Wednesday's game. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State’s Sophia Alesi makes a run down the wing during the Blue Devils season opener against the Alfred University Saxons. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State’s Jacob Gennaro boxes out a Penn State Behrend forward during Wednesday’s game. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State's Nicki Barlow delivers a pass during Wednesday's game. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
Fredonia State's Jules Monlea gets ready to make a pass during Wednesday's game. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms
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With four seconds remaining in the first overtime, Kevin Loftus (Lancaster/Lancaster) connected on a penalty kick to send the Fredonia State men's soccer team to a 1-0 win in its season-opening match over Penn State Behrend on Wednesday at University Stadium.
The Devils were executing a corner kick, when a Behrend player was called for a penalty inside the box. Loftus shot right, and the goalie dove left, sending the Devils to victory.
Up to that point, the teams played a relatively even game. Behrend outshot the Devils, 9-8.
The Devils had a few scoring opportunities. With 31:45 left to play, Matt Cullen (East Northport /East Northport) collected a ball about 15 yards out and blasted a shot just over the goal. In the 26th minute, Jackson Retzer (Bowmansville, /Williamsville North) took a cross just in front of the net and his header went just over the goal.
Behrend's Logan Brinsky had a breakaway just inside the final minute of regulation. Fredonia State goalie William Richardson (Penfield/Penfield) challenged him at the front of the 18-yard box to knock the ball away. Richardson would play a stellar game, finishing with only six saves, but his aggressive play prevented clean shots and second chances.
In the first overtime, Jacob Gennaro (East Amherst/ Williamsville East) almost ended the game with 8:22 to play. He spun around and fired a shot that scraped the top of the crossbar.
The Devils (1-0) travel to Case Western on Saturday.
WOMEN
The Fredonia State women's soccer team opened its season with a 2-2 tie vs. Alfred University on Wednesday. Three of the four goals occurred in the first half.
Fredonia State got on the scoreboard first. In the 19th minute, freshman Katie Sellers (Glemont/ Bethlehem) cut in front of the Alfred netminder to direct a crossing pass into a wide-open net.
Alfred tied this just three minutes later when Alyssa Smith intercepted a pass. Her shot went high and off the hands of a leaping Fredonia State goaltender, Sabrina Suriani, and trickled into the goal.
The visiting Saxons took the lead when Kayla Silverstein took a ball that was blocked by the Fredonia State defense and blasted the rebound in from short range in the 31st minute.
The final goal came at the 58:42 mark of the second half when sophomore Bri Grazen (Lancaster/ Lancaster) scored off a corner kick from Nicki Barlow (Penfield/Penfield) to tie the game.
The Devils nearly took the lead with just under 16 minutes to play. Jules Monlea went slicing through the defense and blasted a shot that was blocked by a diving Hannah Fuller for the Saxons. Neither team would score from there.
Suriani ended with 11 saves for the Devils. Fuller collected nine saves for Alfred. The Devils outshot Alfred, 21-19.
The Devils participate in the Penn State Behrend Tournament this weekend, taking on Wooster on Saturday, and Baldwin Wallace on Sunday.