Geneseo's men's soccer team played one game this past week, winning against Union College 1-0 last Wednesday to give the Dutchmen their first loss of the season.
The lone goal of the match came roughly 12 minutes in. Sophomore Colin Begy drove the ball into the back of the net following a long throw-in from junior Ben Ariola and a deflection by junior Yuta Shimizu.
Blue Knights head coach Mike Mooney said the team had been worried about the home-field advantage that Union possessed, but in the end they managed to overcome this obstacle. The Blue Knights were quickly acquainted with Union's narrow field and direct style, playing long balls in to their physically bigger players.
Mooney also said Union prefers to take advantage of the narrow field treating deep throw-ins like corner kicks. The Blue Knights managed to use that very same strategy to their advantage to get the win.
Sophomore goalie Sam Murphy made his first start in the net for the Blue Knights and made one save in Geneseo's first shutout of the season. Mooney pointed out freshman Rob Loccisano as one of the keys on the defensive effort for Geneseo.
After losing a talented class of seniors last year, the team has started 3-2-1, with five of their six games going into overtime. Mooney said that he applauds his team as they continue to play tough and get better throughout the year.
The Blue Knights start a two-game homestand this weekend as they open up SUNYAC play. Geneseo hosts Potsdam on Friday at 4 p.m. and then Plattsburgh on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Geneseo women's soccer team split two games this past week, beating Medaille College 3-0 this past Wednesday, but falling to conference rival SUNY Brockport 3-1 on Saturday.
The Lady Knights easily handled Medaille with a strong team performance. Seniors Eileen Coyle, Stephanie Bergin and Melissa Beale each chipped in a goal apiece. Geneseo thoroughly outplayed the Mavericks on defense, not allowing an attempt on goal the entire game.
Lady Knights head coach Nate Wiley said in an e-mail that he felt Geneseo had the better team when they played Brockport. The Lady Knights struggled both offensively and defensively, however, as Coyle scored the lone goal for Geneseo in that game.
Geneseo managed 11 shots on goal but could only convert once while Brockport had three goals off of six shots. Junior Katie Clerkin made three saves in a losing effort. Wiley said that Brockport is the most physical team the Lady Knights will see all year. According to the coach, Brockport's kick-and-run style works for them, but is not how the game should be played.
Wiley said he praises his team for their efforts, but refused to name the top performers. "I don't like to single out players, as it is a team game. I think our defense is stifling and our attack is attractive and potent."
The team's strong start has seen their record rise to 5-2 for the season. The Lady Knights travel to take on SUNY Potsdam on Friday at 4 p.m. followed by Plattsburgh on Saturday at 1 p.m.