YouTube Recap | Play of the Week

ALFRED, NY—The Alfred University men's soccer team was downed by the Geneva College Golden Tornadoes, 3-2, in OT Tuesday afternoon at Yunevich Stadium in Alfred, NY.
 
With ambitions high for the Saxons in the 2015 season, AU came out of the gates looking to deal some damage, owning the tempo, and maintaining possession of the ball.  In the first six minutes, the Saxons outmatched the Golden Tornadoes in corner kicks, 4-0.
 
Despite controlling the pace of the game, the Saxons conceded the first goal in the 20^th minute when Geneva's Josh Brenize sent a through ball into the box to find Sean Bernardi in stride streaming toward the net. AU's freshman keeper Brian Larkin-Gero (Chagrin Falls, OH/Kenston) instinctually came off his line to address the threat. Nevertheless, Bernardi was able to barely wrap the ball around the charging keeper's finger tips.
 
In the 30^th minute, AU looked to light up the board when junior Oumar Soumahoro (New York, NY/Martin Luther King) sent a ball into the box to junior Richard Lander (Narrowsburg, NY/Sullivan West) who tipped the ball just as the opposing goalie came out to meet him, parrying the ball away from danger.
 
At the half-time break, the Golden Tornadoes held a 1-0 advantage over the Saxons.  In spite of trailing at the half, AU held the advantage in shots (6), shots on goals (4), and corner kicks (8).
 
It didn't take the Saxons long coming out of the break to tie the game at one, as sophomore Jesse Lichtman (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) found twine in the 49^th minutes after receiving a long through ball from Soumahoro.  AU snagged the lead after sophomore first year player Cody Cronmiller (Livonia, NY/Livonia) carried the ball down the sideline and dumped the ball into the mix in front of the net.  Following a scramble, Lander took possession of the ball and buried the shot off the left post into the back of the net with force.
 
The minutes following AU's second goal were tense as neither team looked to give an inch. Geneva mustered two shots in the 71^st and 85^th minutes but were unable to fool senior Matthew Unick (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) between the pipes for the Saxons.  Finally, the Golden Tornadoes' efforts succeeded in the 88^th minute when Bernardi put a shot on goal that was parried away by a fully extended Unick, but the ball landed right at the feet of Geneva's Nate Ferraco who knotted the game up once again.  Regulation came to a close with no decision and both teams prepared for overtime.
There was very little action in the first period of overtime as neither team put a shot on goal. At last, the game came to a close in the 101^st minutes when Brenize stormed down the Saxon sideline and found Brandon Crider in front of the net. Crider had to make minimal effort as the ball was placed at his feet, and he lifted the Golden Tornadoes to victory.
 
Overall, the Saxons held an advantage in shots (14-10), saves (5-3) and corner kicks (10-4). Larkin-Gero started the game for AU in goal, playing 45 minutes and making one save. Unick played the remaining 56 minutes for the Saxons, stopping three shots.
 
AU (0-1-0, E8 0-0-0) looks to earn their first win of the young season at home on Saturday, September 5^th at 5:30pm against Waynesburg University.