Pioneers Eliminated in Semi-final

The Alfred State Men's Soccer team fell in today's playoff match 4-1 to Mount Aloysius. In the program's second consecutive semi-final appearance, the Pioneers fall short of the elusive championship match.

Ten minutes into the match, Mount Aloysius opened up the scoring with a goal from Juan Camacho, his seventh of the season. Fifteen minutes later, the Mounties scored again on a Jonathan Fernandez goal, putting the Pioneers down 2-0 going into halftime.

Fifteen minutes into the half, Louis Bez knocked in a free kick goal for the Mounties putting them up 3-0. The Pioneers surrendered a penalty kick goal in the 65 minute, before knocking in a goal of their own in the 66. Michael Bupp (East Rochester, N.Y. / East Rochester) scored the loan goal for Alfred State from short range, putting the Pioneers on the board. Alfred State outshot the Mounties 10-8 in the second half in a comeback effort. Ali Mata-Ruiz (Westbury, N.Y. / Westbury) was the shot leader for the Pioneers, taking three shots and putting one on goal.

The Pioneers finish with a 10-6-4 record, their best season in the program's short NCAA history. Alfred State finished the regular season on a three game win streak, outscoring their opponents 15-2 before defeating Hilbert College in the opening round of the playoffs 6-1.  The Pioneers leading goal scorer was Nuri Sarbudak (Pittsford, N.Y. / Pittsford Mendon) who had 12 on the year, good enough for second in the conference. Goalkeeper Thaddeus Grierson (Perry, N.Y. / Perry) had the fourth lowest goals against in the AMCC at 1.45 per match.