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Andrew Schwert's overtime goal handed the Oswego State men's soccer team a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Cortland in the SUNYAC opener for both squads on Saturday in Oswego.
Schwert scored in the 101st minute with a shot from 25 yards out that went into the top left corner of the goal past an outstretched Matt Wopperer (Jr., Manilus, N.Y.) to end the game. The Lakers fell to 0-6-0 overall and 0-1-0 in conference play, while the Red Dragons improved to 1-4-1 overall and 1-0-0 in the SUNYAC.
Oswego State had the first scoring chance when a ball headed by Connor Schauf (Jr., South Hempstead, N.Y.) nearly got past Cortland goalkeeper Steve Axtell after a corner kick three minutes into the contest. The Red Dragons nearly put the first goal of the game on the scoreboard in the 16th minute when Andrew Schwert's shot hit the post. Both squads generated offensive rushes for the duration of the scoreless half, but the storyline of the period was the physical play as each team was required to substitute players often. Early in the second half Cortland's Steve Bartowski and Harald Gracholski tested Wopperer, who came up with a pair of strong saves to keep the game knotted at 0-0. Bartowski challenged the Laker goalkeeper two more times before the end of regulation, but Wopperer was up to the test as the teams forced an overtime period.
Oswego State's Brandon Carnovale (Fr., Baldwinsville, N.Y.) almost ended the game in the first minute of overtime when he quickly fired a shot with his left foot on Axtell, who was in position to make the point blank save. Minutes later, Schwert atoned for his shot in the first half that hit the post when he rocketed a shot into the top left corner of the net just below the crossbar to give Cortland a 1-0 victory. Matt Wopperer made six key saves to keep the Lakers in the game, while Steve Axtell stopped two shots for the Red Dragons, who owned a 13-3 advantage in shots. Oswego State took eight corner kicks during the contest compared to five for Cortland, but was unable to turn them into goals.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Sep. 26 against Morrisville at 1 p.m. for the first of five straight road games.
