The Oswego State men's soccer team earned a 2-1 overtime victory at Cortland on Wednesday afternoon that has them in good position to qualify for the SUNYAC playoffs.
Freshman Chris Carra scored four minutes, 14 seconds into overtime to lead the visiting Oswego State men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Cortland Wednesday afternoon at Holloway Field. The win by the Lakers kept their SUNYAC playoff hopes alive and improved their record to 8-7-1 overall and 4-4-1 in the conference. The Red Dragons fell to 6-7-3 and 4-4-1 but sit behind Oswego in the standings due to the loss.
After a scoreless first half with most of the action taking place in the midfield, each team had opportunities to get on the scoreboard in the second half. In the 47th minute, Cortland junior Steve DePersis bent a 20-yard right-footed shot from the left side of the box that clanged off the right post. Eight minutes later, Oswego State junior Jim Mertz ran onto a long free kick by sophomore Scott VanOostveen deep in the box but his shot was denied by Cortland junior goalie Steve Axtell. Cortland then had two excellent chances less than a minute apart, both coming off the foot of senior Travis Carey. In the 57th minute, Carey received a pass from senior Dan Dunn on the left side of the box. He worked inside past a defender and had a close-range shot stopped by Laker junior goalie Shaun Sessa. Moments later, Carey was in on Sessa again with the same result.
Oswego State finally broke the scoreless tie in the 71st minute. After a Cortland foul, senior Pat Hurley put a free kick into play in the box. Sophomore Mike Roorda flicked a header that went inside the left post for his second goal of the season.
With time winding down and the Red Dragons pressing forward, Cortland received a free kick on the left side after an Oswego State foul. Junior Eric Reinhardt bent a long kick into the right side of the box that freshman Kirk DeNero directed inside the left post with a header with 3:31 remaining in regulation that sent the game to extra time.
The Lakers secured the win in the 95th minute. Hurley played a through ball to Carra on the right side of the box. Carra ran onto the pass and slid a shot inside the left post from a sharp angle for his second goal of the season.
Axtell made two saves for the Red Dragons, who outshot the Lakers, 18-8 in the game. Sessa stopped six shots for the Lakers, including four in the second half.
