Graduate student Steve Axtell made four saves, including a key stop in the 70th minute, against his former team
10/23/2009
CORTLAND, N.Y. - Senior Harald Gracholski (Memel, Germany/Hermano Zudermano) scored two first-half goals to lead the Cortland men's soccer team to a 2-1 win versus Oneonta Friday afternoon at the Stadium Complex. With the win, the host Red Dragons improved to 5-8-2 overall and 4-3-1 in the SUNYAC and clinched a playoff spot in the conference tournament. Cortland is currently in a four-way tie for third place in the league with Oneonta, Geneseo and Oswego and holds the tiebreaker advantage on each team. Cortland can clinch third place in the conference and host a quarterfinal game next Saturday with a win versus New Paltz on Saturday. Oneonta dropped to 10-4-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the SUNYAC with the setback.
Oneonta opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Junior Gary Laronde (Wheatley Heights/Half Hollow Hills) carried the ball into the box on the left side and slid a pass back across the mouth of the goal where sophomore Evan Jedynak (Malta/Ballston Spa) one-timed a shot at the right post for his team-high 10th goal of the season.
Gracholski, however, quickly tied the game up just 32 seconds later. Sophomore E.J. Reutemann (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) fed a pass to Gracholski, who set up a right-footed shot from 25 yards out that tucked inside the left post. In the 28th minute, Gracholski scored his team-best 11th goal of the season when he cut across the top of the box with possession and deposited a 20-yard shot inside the left post for the game winner.
Oneonta's best chance to score the equalizer came in the 70th minute. Freshman Eric Fortier (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) threaded a through ball into the box that sophomore Jonathan Kowalski (Glens Falls) ran onto, but Cortland graduate student Steve Axtell (Franklin/Sidney) came off his line and blocked Kowalski's bid from eight yards out.
Axtell finished with four saves for the host Red Dragons, while senior Jonathan Korn (Dix Hills/Half Hollow Hills) stopped two shots for Oneonta.
Cortland 2, Oneonta 1
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists)
Oneonta: Evan Jedynak 1-0, Gary Laronde 0-1
Cortland: Harald Gracholski 2-0, E.J. Reutemann 0-1
Halftime: Cortland 2, Oneonta 1
Shots: Cortland 11, Oneonta 10
Corner Kicks: Cortland 4, Oneonta 3
Fouls: Oneonta 12, Cortland 8
Saves: Jonathan Korn (Oneonta) 2 (2 GA in 90:00); Steve Axtell (Cortland) 4 (1 GA in 90:00)
Record after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 5-8-2, 4-3-1 SUNYAC; Oneonta (Red Dragons) 10-4-1, 4-3-1 SUNYAC