POTSDAM, NY – Host Clarkson University scored three first half goals and fended off a hard-charging University of Rochester men's soccer team in a 4-2 victory on Saturday afternoon at Hantz Turf Field.
URochester (2-3-2) tried to get back into the contest, with
Mikey Burke scoring back-to-back set-piece goals, but Clarkson (3-1-2) added a late insurance tally with under four minutes to play to hold on for the victory.
Clarkson's first goal was a ripped left-footed shot from the edge of the box by Zach Ruthfield in the ninth minute of the contest. The score came off of a short corner played by Noah Hermanson, with Ruthfield's strike finding the upper right corner of the net.
The Golden Knights doubled the lead on their next shot on goal four minutes later. Matt Gatchell was able to penetrate the Yellowjacket defense and saw his pass into the box deflect off a foot, and end up with Paul Rolland who was open eight yards from the goal.
Rolland was able to finish right a 1-timer just inside the right post, doubling the lead to 2-0.
Four more minutes passed and the Golden Knights were able to increase the lead yet again. This time it was Alper Celik who found the net off a long pass up by Hermanson. The pass landed in no-man's-land in between a pair of Yellowjacket defenders and instead found Celik on a bounce.
Celik headed the ball up to himself and found himself 1-on-1 with Hartman, beating the 'Jacket keeper to his left to again increase the home team's advantage.
URochester's first shot on goal came in the 26th minute, with
Johnny Makula's chance from 24 yards being scooped up by Clarkson keeper Ian Burgos. That play ended up being UR's only shot of the opening 45 minutes, as the Yellowjackets looked to regroup at intermission.
Eleven and a half minutes into the second half, the Yellowjackets got on the board following a foul on Clarkson, awarding UR a free kick.
Finn Basobas O'Carroll took the free kick from about 45 yards and sent his service into the box where
Mateo Stremi provided a back-heel flick pass up into the air. Burke then snuck behind the Clarkson defense and headed the ball into the goal for his first of the day.
Twelve minutes later, Burke notched his second goal, also coming on a head after pair of passes from
Kyle Wong and
Nico Ranieri.
The play started after a long throw into the box. After the ball bounced around, it eventually came out to Wong who chipped his pass in towards the left post where Ranieri headed it inside the 6-yard box. Burke was in the right place and headed the ball down and into the goal, making it a 3-2 Clarkson lead.
Rochester kept the momentum over the next few minutes earning a corner and a pair of shots in the 75th minute, but
Daniel Steinacher sent a shot into the left post, with a follow-up chance by Makula being blocked away.
Another corner kick ended in a Yellowjackets shot with under ten minutes to play, but
Sebastian Ballesteros saw his header sail high of the Clarkson goal.
A transition goal from Clarkson provided key insurance for the Golden Knights later on, with Bodie Smith scoring his fifth of the season.
Coming out of his own end, Clarkson's Marco Meirinho started the play and sent a long pass over the top. A UR defender tried to corral it, but ended up deflecting the ball further into his own team's territory.
After a missed tackle attempt, Smith ran up on the loose ball and was able to beat the Rochester keeper on the left side for the 4-2 lead.
Burke had a look at his hat trick with the clock ticking under 90 seconds, but his header from the middle of the box was secured in goal by Burgos this time.
With a few ticks left on the clock, the Yellowjackets set up a nice give-and-go play to
Tomoki Hirayama, but the first-year's shot sailed just wide of the left post.
For the contest, both teams ended up being credited with nine shots. Rochester held a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.
In the goals, Hartman made two saves for the Yellowjackets, while Burgos finished with three for Clarkson.
Rochester is back in action on Wednesday evening in a home matchup against Oswego State starting at 5 pm at Fauver Stadium.
