BUFFALO, N.Y.—Hobart College scored a pair of first half goals to post its first win over a ranked opponent this season, defeating No. 21 Buffalo State College 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship at Coyer Field tonight.
It's the fifth time in seven NCAA tournament appearances that the Statesmen have won their first round match.
The first half featured fairly even possession, but the Statesmen (11-4-4) made the most of their opportunities. In the 16th minute, first-year
Juan Widoycovich hooked a corner kick in toward the back post where senior
Patrick Schulz put a head on it for a 1-0 lead.
Late in the half, the Bengals (14-3-3) nearly equalized. In the 40th minute, Robert Williamson laced a shot on frame, but junior goalie
Alec Kaminer was there to made the save. About a minute later, Ali Shawish's shot hit the crossbar where it meets the post and bounced out, but he was also called offsides on the play.
A minute after that, Hobart added to its lead. The Statesmen used a series of quick passes to work their way down the right sideline. Sophomore
Nate Cary sent in a cross from the corner flag that was broken up by a Bengal defender, but junior
Mouhamed Diouf ran down the loose ball and laced a low shot into the back of the net.
In the second half, Buff State had some chances in the attacking zone, but the Statesmen back line kept the Bengals from putting shots on frame. Of the six saves junior
Alec Kaminer made for his third consecutive shutout, only one came after halftime.
Already facing an uphill battle, Buffalo State's chances of a comeback suffered a fatal blow in the 62nd minute when Barak Benyehuda was red carded, forcing the Bengals to play the final 28 minutes a man down.
Buff State goalie Andreas Queen was credited with three saves.
Hobart will return to Buffalo at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12 to face No. 9 Messiah (19-2-0), which advanced to the second with a 1-0 win over Castleton (12-7-2).
