The University of Rochester used some strong play through its midfield and defense – and some timely goalscoring –to post a 2-0 victory over SUNYIT in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Playoffs at Edwin Fauver Stadium.

Rochester will play Oberlin College in the second round at 5 pm on Sunday. Oberlin scored two second half goals to defeat SUNY Oneonta, 2-0, in the other first round match. Rochester is 14-2-2 after the win. SUNYIT finished 16-2-2.

Max fan headed in a goal from Jeff Greblick's right wing pass in the 22^nd minute and Greblick scored a clincher in the last 90 seconds when his shot bounced off a couple of defenders.

Each head coach respected the opponent. "They do three things very well," Rochester coach Chris Apple said of SUNYIT. "They work extremely hard, they get numbers behind the ball, and they pressure relentlessly."

Rochester goalkeeper Mike Moranz made three saves to pick up his sixth solo shutout of the season. His best stop came in the final minute of the first half with Rochester up, 1-0. The Wildcats were awarded a free kick, 30 yards from goal, straight on. Leading scorer Diego Montaleza hit a hard dipping drive for the top corner of the net that Moranz parried over the bar for a corner kick.

As SUNYIT pressed in the latter stages of the match, Rochester's defenders all dropped back to clear balls over the sideline, denying the Wildcats the opportunity for breakaways.

"Most teams send numbers late in the game and they did," Apple said. "Our guys did well to deal with that."

"That's the way we've done it all year long," SUNYIT coach Peterson Jerome said. "We weren't going to change what we do."

Rochester went ahead, 1-0, at 21:22. Greblick raced down the right sideline, cut inside a defender and lined a pass to the head of Fan, positioned just outside the crease. He headed it in.

"The early goal was great," Apple said. "When it stays 0-0 for long periods, you begin to feel the pressure."

With SUNYIT's always-present danger of a quick strike on the counterattack, Apple wanted that second goal. In the first five minutes of the second half, the Yellowjackets came close twice. Shane Dobles played a corner kick to Greblick at the near post and his header was wide. Shortly thereafter, another corner kick was dangerous. Jeff Fafinski drove it into the box a header in traffic had to be headed off the line by a Wildcat fullback.

The best chance for the Wildcats to equalize came with 17 minutes left. Kurreem Williams outfoxed a defender on left wing , crossed the ball to the top of the box, and Matthew Wilday shot wide left. Williams was denied 10 minutes later when the ball was knocked away from him by Andrew Greenway retreating defensively as the forward sped towards goal.


Rochester's second goal came at 88:41. Ben Keeton took the ball into the right side of the area and crossed it through a tangle of legs. Greblick got a foot to it and his shot bounced off defenders before trickling over the line.

"In the NCAAs, you'll have ebbs and flows," Apple said. "You just have to be able to handle these moments."