POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 19, 2014) – The Vassar men's soccer team will return to Gordon Field on Saturday to face Hudson Valley rival SUNY-New Paltz at 12:00 pm.

Game Details
Opponent: vs. New Paltz (3-2)
Links: (New Paltz Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility:  Gordon Field
Date: September 20, 2014
Time:  12 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
What to Look For:
Vassar will be looking to rebound Saturday after dropping its second game of the year to Stevens Tech 2-0 on Wednesday. After going 5-0-1 in the team's first six matches scoring an average of 2.33 goals per game, the Brewers have produced just one goal in the past 180 minutes of play. VC will need to reignite the offense against New Paltz, as the Hawks have only allowed one goal in the past two matches.
 
Last Time Out:  
Vassar fell to Stevens Tech on the road 2-0 on Wednesday afternoon, as the Ducks used a pair of second half goals to seal the victory in Hoboken, NJ. The Brewers were held to a season-low one shot in the contest, while sophomore goalie Adam Warner (Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) was forced to make eight saves.       
 
A Look at the Hawks:
SUNY-New Paltz is currently 3-2 on the year and has won its past two contests by a combined score of 7-1. The Hawks picked up a 4-1 win over Hunter College on September 13, as four different Hawks scored goals to earn the win at home. New Paltz picked up another win on September 17 with a 3-0 shutout victory over Bard College.   
 
Offensively, the Hawks are led by junior forward Jason Gonzalez, who has three goals and two assists through five games for his side this season. Freshman forward Gino Scardino has also emerged as scoring threat in his first year at New Paltz, tallying three goals on the year. The New Paltz defense is currently allowing only 7.2 shots and 1.0 goals per game, so an organized Brewer attack will be necessary to capitalize on scoring opportunities.     
 
All-Time Series:
Vassar holds a 14-9-2 advantage in the all-time series between the two rival schools, and has won the past three meetings from 2011-2013. Last season, the Brewers earned a season-opening 3-0 victory over the Hawks as then-junior Tom Wiechert (Dana Point, CA/San Clemente) recorded a hat trick. Cosmo Veneziale (Garden City, NY/Garden City) added an assist in the victory on Wiechet's first goal of the day.  
 
Gordon Regulars:
SUNY-New Paltz comes back to Gordon Field after previously participating in the 2014 Vassar Invitational on September 6 and 7. The Hawks opened up tournament play with a 3-1 victory over Farmingdale State, before falling to Elms College 1-0 on the final day of competition. For their efforts, junior defensemen Angelo DiMatteo and senior midfielder Stephen Browne were named to the all-tournament team on the conclusion of the invitational on Sunday.
 
Team Leader:
Junior Cosmo Veneziale has stepped up big this year for the Brewers, starting every game. He is also leading the team in points, with three goals and an assist through eight games.
 
Helping Out:
Junior Gavin Jennings (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) currently leads the team with five assists. Adding his fifth assist in the match against No. 5 Oneonta, Jennings is already tied for eighth all-time in VC soccer history for assists in a season. With Liberty League play having not even started yet, he is on track to move up on the list as the season progresses. He is currently tied for 8^th in the nation in assists.

History Repeating?:
Through eight games last season, Vassar held an identical 5-1-2 record, with three of the wins coming from 2014 opponents Western Connecticut, Manhattanville College and Maritime College. 

Super Starters:
Seven Brewers have started in all eight games this season, including junior Cosmo Veneziale, junior Jordan Palmer (Woodland Hills, CA/Agoura), senior Zach Nasipak (Chandler, AZ/Hamilton), freshman Tanner Sands (Draper, UT/Juan Diego), sophomore Adam Warner (Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly), junior Nick Hess (Troy, NY/Averill Park) and freshman Hayden Van Brewer (Wilbraham, MA/Minnechaug Regional). 
 
Vassar Ranked in the NCAAs:
VC currently ranks in the top-30 across the nation in a select group of statistical categories (As of Sept. 14).
Total Team Assists (13): Tied for 30^th
Individual Assists – Gavin Jennings (5): Tied for 8^th

Looking Ahead:
Vassar will wrap up non-conference play on Wednesday, September 24 on the road against Kean University. The Brewers will play their Liberty-League opener next Saturday, September 27 at Skidmore College.