Utica, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly men's soccer team earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Skidmore College. Jael Casimir netted the decisive goal in the 62nd minute off an assist from Colby Diamond, while goalkeeper Tyler Barth anchored the defense with an outstanding performance, making nine saves to record the clean sheet.
HOW IT HAPPENED:Â
The Thoroughbreds came out strong in the opening minutes, testing Barth early. In just the 2nd minute, Colin Goodhines fired a shot toward the bottom corner, but Barth was quick to react. Skidmore's Quinn McInerney followed with back-to-back efforts in the 7th and 9th minutes, both of which were denied by the Wildcats' keeper.
SUNY Poly settled into the match and began generating chances of their own. Dominick Spychalski forced a save from Skidmore goalkeeper Will Devall in the 14th minute, and two minutes later, Diamond's strike toward the bottom right corner was also stopped.
Both teams battled in the midfield with fouls piling up on both sides. Barth remained sharp, making two more crucial saves against Jacob Humienny in the 19th and 29th minutes to keep the match scoreless. Despite continued pressure from Skidmore, including a pair of corner kicks, the Wildcats' backline stood firm. The teams entered halftime still locked at 0-0.
The second half saw much of the same, with Skidmore applying pressure through Humienny and Goodhines, but Barth stayed composed. He came up with saves in the 52nd, 56th, and 58th minutes, keeping the Wildcats within striking distance.
SUNY Poly finally broke through in the 62nd minute. Diamond created space and slipped a ball across to Casimir, who buried a clean finish to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
From there, the Wildcats tightened defensively. Skidmore continued to send shots toward goal, but most missed the target, and Barth denied Owen Correll in the 78th minute to preserve the advantage. The physical intensity picked up late, with multiple fouls and two yellow cards shown to Skidmore in the final 15 minutes.
Despite a flurry of late corners for the Thoroughbreds, Poly's defense held strong, securing the 1-0 win.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will be back on home turf for a matchup with the Union College Garnet Chargers at 6:00 P.M.
