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QUINTIN JAMES
Staff Writer
Coming into the week, the Blue Devils were preparing for their first ever home playoff game at University Stadium. The Blue Devils were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010, after they failed in a disappointing 2015 season to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season .
Head Coach PJ Gondek said he was looking for a lot of energy from his group of guys at practice on Friday.
“We’re looking for a lot of energy and enthusiasm. We are the home team, and it’s the first ever playoff game for men’s soccer at University Stadium,” Gondek said.
With nine seniors on the team this year, Gondek was not worried about nerves being an issue for the game, saying “The nice part about this team is we have nine seniors on it, and I haven’t had to do that the whole year.”
With the season on the line and an NCAA tournament bid up for grabs, the team was excited to play in front of the home fans one more time.
In their first home playoff game ever and in front of a packed crowd at University Stadium, the Blue Devils welcomed rival Plattsburgh State. With faculty, students, parents, ex-players and rival supporters in attendance, Fredonia took the field on a windy, cold day.
The game was an entertaining one, even though both teams struggled to find great looks at the net in the first half. Fredonia, considered more of an offensive team, did not muster any consistent offense in the first half, as bad calls and questionable defense had the crowd on edge for a while.
The second half saw the crowd get into the game as chants of defense, taunts and chants rang through the stadium as the home faithful cheered on the Blue Devils. Both teams had plenty of chances to take the lead in regulation, but it ended in a tie 0-0.
Freshman goalkeeper Ty Bentham had nine saves and faced a total of 20 shots in the game, most of them in the second half. He was one of the main factors in why Fredonia was still in the game until the very end. His play kept the Blue Devils in the game, and the freshman certainly played a big game.
In the overtime period, both offenses went cold as possession went back and forth. The first home playoff game at University Stadium would go to a shootout, and the crowd rose to its feet in excitement.
n the shootout, Plattsburgh scored first, while Fredonia missed off the crossbar on their first attempt. The Blue Devils would tie the shootout at two when Plattsburgh missed a shot off the crossbar and Fredonia scored to take the lead in the shootout.
In the last round, however, Bentham made a huge diving save to set up senior Sam Greco for the opportunity to win the game and to advance to the next round.
Greco, in front of a sold-out, standing crowd, calmly put the ball in the back of the net and was mobbed by his teammates and some fans. Fredonia, in amazing fashion, won and advanced to the next round, where they will go on the road to face Oneonta, who they defeated just a week ago.
The Cinderella season for Fredonia is still alive, and the winner of their next game goes on to the SUNYAC finals. Fredonia will look to reach a goal that some said could not be done, but after this game, they feel confident and ready to go.