Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 13, 2009) – After just one goal in the first 64 minutes of play, the final 26 minutes of Sunday's men's soccer matchup between cross town rivals Vassar College and SUNY New Paltz provided a flurry of scoring as the teams combined for four goals. The Hawks came out on the winning end of an intense game, picking up a 3-2 win at Gordon Field.

New Paltz now holds a 4-1 advantage in the rivalry over the last five years. Four of those games have been decided by just one goal, with last year's 4-2 Vassar loss the only exception. The Brewers fall to 3-2 on the season and will travel to Bard College for a 7:00 p.m. game on Wednesday. The Hawks remain unbeaten at 4-0-1 and play at Williams College on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.

After Vassar came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game with just over five minutes to play, the Hawks quickly responded, scoring the game winner in the 87th minute. Sophomore James Altadonna netted the goal, his second of the game, off assists from sophomore Tommy Garafola and junior Lucas Natel. Natel played a through ball to Garafola who drew a defender and Vassar senior keeper Jake London away from the goal before dishing a pass to a wide open Altadonna who one-timed the ball into the net.

Less than two minutes earlier, it looked as though the game might go to overtime as the Brewers tied the game on freshman Bryan English's first collegiate goal. Sophomore Harrison Freund sent a perfect cross from the right hand side to English who headed home the goal to knot the game at 2-2.

Freund was also involved in Vassar's first goal, in the 79th minute, as Freund and senior brother Alex hooked up for the score. The elder Freund sent a cross from the right side towards the goal and Harrison leaped past New Paltz keeper Peter Carmel to knock the ball down, turn, and fire a shot into the net for his first goal of the season.

The Hawks staked themselves a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute as sophomore Tommy Willoughby sent a through ball nearly the length of the field to Altadonna. The forward out-sprinted the Vassar defense to send a shot past the charging London.

New Paltz got on board just over a minute into the game as London came out to clear a ball towards the top of the 18-yard box. The clear went directly to freshman Nicholas DiPaola and with London trying to retreat back into the goal, DiPaola bent a shot back into the net. It was the second game in a row that the Brewers allowed an early goal, as Stevens Institute of Technology scored just 28 seconds into Vassar's 4-0 loss on Friday evening.

It was a physical and offensive-minded game, as the teams combined for 29 fouls and 51 shots. The Brewers outshot New Paltz 32-19. Senior Brian Bianchetti recorded seven shots, three on goal for the Brewers, while junior Marc Morelli added three shots, all on goal. Also keeping the offensive pressure on the Hawks were junior Jake Weiss (five shots, two on goal), senior Chris Nieminski (five shots, two on goal), and Harrison Freund (three shots, two on goal). Altadonna kept the Vassar defense busy with eight shots, five on goal, while DiPaola contributed four shots, two on goal.

Both goalies had strong performances as Carmel recorded 13 saves and London had seven. Carmel turned away a number of close shots by Vassar, making an impressive diving save on a shot by Morelli late in the first half. Also in the first half, Weiss nearly got Vassar on board, sending a shot on goal following a loose ball in the box, but Carmel made the tough save, punching the ball over the crossbar.

London recorded a difficult save of his own in the 61st minute as Altadonna fired a powerful shot on goal. London' s initial save knocked the ball into the crossbar and almost back down into the goal, but London quickly leapt up to snatch the ball.