Schenectady, NY- The Sage Colleges' men's soccer team opened the 2017 season on Friday night competing at Union College.  In what proved to be a physical matchup, with just over six minutes left in overtime, Omar Al Homsi netted the game winner to give Union the 3-2 victory. Kienan Smith picked up the game winning assist as he headed the ball down while Al Homsi finished the job, playing the ball to the far left post. Sage, which finished the 2016 season as the Skyline Conference Tournament Runner-up started the 2017 season under the leadership of second-year head coach Keith Simons.

Junior forward River Seybolt (Selden, NY/Longwood), who was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division III Men's All-East Regional Third Team as well as the 2016 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team, opened his third season looking to rewrite the Sage men's soccer record book. Seybolt connected on the first goal of the match on a feed from senior Derlis Zayas (White Plains, NY/White Plains) at the 10:08 mark on a set piece and would go unanswered until the second half. In the 60th minute, Dutchman Salvador Lopez Jr. went on back to back goals in a three minute stretch.

The Gators found the equalizer with just under five minutes to go in regulation, when Zayas drilled a shot that collected in the top left of the box. 

The game remained tied until the game winner in overtime. Goalkeeper John Weltzman recorded five saves and Pedram Malakian picked up an assist. Sage's junior keeper Michael Chiaravalloti (Torrington, CT/Oliver Wolcott) made six saves in goal for the Gators.

With his efforts on Friday, Seybolt is already third in career goals (25), third in career points (57), and 8th in career assists (seven).

Next up for the Gators, they will visit RPI on September 2 for a 5 p.m. match-up with the Engineers.