ALBANY – The Bears of St. Joseph's – Brooklyn scored on a penalty kick in the 58th minute to beat the Sage Gators 1-0 Saturday night.
A little over a minute and a half into the game, Sage's (2-5-3, 1-3-1 Skyline) Ryan Fairweather (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) volleyed a shot at the Bears net off a Lai Le (Walnut, CA/Walnut) corner, but goalie Julian Rodriguez. Nine minutes later, Mareusz Georges took St. Joseph's (4-5, 3-2 Skyline) first shot of the game that was saved by Caelan Kohut (Southern Pines, NC/Hudson).
In the 16th minute, Sage's River Seybolt (Seldon, NY/Longwood) had a 1vs1 with Rodriguez, but the keeper came off his line and took away the Gator threat. 13 minutes later, Sage's shot by Heriberto Gomez (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) was deflected by Rodriguez. Paul Reynoso (Oswego, NY/G. Ray Bodley) followed the rebound with a second Gator shot in the six yard box, but it was blocked by the Bears defense.
After back-and-forth action for the remainder of the half, Sage drew a foul in the last minute of play. With the clock ticking down to halftime, junior Derlis Zayas (White Plains, NY/White Plains) headed a shot over the Bears goal.
Two minutes into the second half, Sage's senior captain Anthony Williamson (Beacon, NY/Beacon) hit a long free kick from midfield that was going to go in the top of the net, but Rodriguez tipped the ball over the frame. Two minutes later, Williamson had a header on the back post that went just right.
After a shot from Georges in the 57th minute went high, the Bears drew a foul in the Sage penalty box a minute later. Beka Goduadze scored the penalty kick to the bottom left corner to put St. Joseph's up 1-0.
In the 67th minute, Reynoso pressured Rodriguez with the ball at his feet and caused the keeper to mishit the clear. Gomez took the clear and was going to goal, but it was broke up by the St. Joseph's defense. A minute later, Sage drew a foul at midfield. Sophomore Kevin Saar (Binghamton, NY/Windsor Central) took the free kick and found Alex Lanza (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill), but Lanza's shot in the six yard box went high.
Sage kept the pressure up on offense, and the Gators were awarded a corner in the 71st minute. Reynoso took the kick and found Kyle LeClerc (Beacon, NY/Beacon) two yards away from the goal, but the senior's shot went high. Seven minutes later, Sage's Sarpong Adjei (Bronx, NY/DeWitt Clinton) hit a low cross across the box to a sliding LeClerc on the far post, but Rodriguez came up with the save.
In the last two minutes of the game, Seybolt took the ball away from Rodriguez's feet, but ball rolled out over the by-line.
Rodriguez (4-5) credited with the win with 12 saves while Kohut (2-5-3) picked up the loss on five saves. The Gators outshot St. Joseph's 24-13. Seybolt led the game with five goals.
Sage takes on Southern Vermont Mon. Oct., 3 at 5 p.m. at the ACP Athletic Complex.
Currently topping the Skyline table are Farmingdale State, Mount Saint Mary and Merchant Marine with 12 points apiece.
The Gators take on Southern Vermont in their next game Mon. Oct., 3 at 5 p.m. at the ACP Athletic Complex.
