October 8, 2005

NEWARK, NJ - Visiting Oneonta State, which never trailed, got goals from three different players in its 3-2 win over New Jersey Institute of Technology in men's NCAA Division I Atlantic Soccer Conference action Saturday afternoon.

Despite the constant rain, both teams were able to generate quality scoring opportunities, as the SprinTurf artificial surface of NJIT's Lubetkin Field helped the teams to operate freely.

The Red Dragons (5-6-1 overall and 2-0 in the ASC) got first-half goals from Billy Ohrin (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill HS) and Macmillan Mbantenkhu (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad) and a goal in the second half from Yfran Garcia (Sloatsburg, NY/Suffern HS).

NJIT (1-6-4 overall, 0-2-1 ASC) scored once in each half. Sophomore Eddie Romero (Laurel, DE/Sussex Central HS) tallied his team-leading fourth goal in the 16th minute and freshman Rafael Barrera (Red Oak, TX/Red Oak HS) pulled the Highlanders to within a goal, 3-2, on his first college goal with 5:25 remaining. Barrera, one of seven freshman starters for NJIT on Saturday, scored off a corner kick by Pablo Ponce (La Paz, Bolivia).

Oneonta doubled NJIT in shots, 14-7, and in corner kicks, 6-3, although the match was closer than that territorially. Oneonta goalkeeper Tim Melia (Great River, NY/East Islip HS) made 3 saves, while NJIT's Collin Cunning (Belfast, ME/Belfast Area HS) stopped six shots.

The Red Dragons scored first, as Ohrin fired the ball in from 20 yards in the 12th minute. Ohrin had controlled the ball moments after an Oneonta direct free kick caromed off the NJIT wall.

The Highlanders pulled even less than four minutes later, when Romero stole the ball from the Oneonta defense and scored at 15:19.

Oneonta went ahead to stay late in the 41st minute, when Mbantenkhu headed in a corner kick from Brian Hildenbrand (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties HS). The visitors maintained their 2-1 lead well into the second half before adding what would prove to be a crucial insurance goal at 73:58, with Garcia converting a feed from Matt Watts (Lingfield, England).

Both goalkeepers made spectacular saves. In the first half, the Highlanders' Cunning deflected a blast that was ticketed for the lower right corner and Oneonta's Melia turned aside Romero's bid for what would have been the tying goal 10 minutes into the second half.

NJIT will visit Long Island University on Wednesday for a 6 pm non-conference game.