Utica, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's soccer team earned a thrilling 3-2 victory over Bryant & Stratton College (Syracuse) on Tuesday at SUNY Poly. The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half before the Bobcats battled back to tie the match in the second half. Johnpaul Jerome then delivered the game-winning goal in the 86th minute to lift SUNY Poly to the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Wildcats came out of the gates aggressively, with Marcus Cole recording a shot just 28 seconds into the match. After early chances from both sides, SUNY Poly broke through in the 16th minute when Nazim Harizi found the back of the net off an assist from Cole, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
SUNY Poly continued to apply pressure and doubled its advantage in the 27th minute. Jerome scored his first goal of the afternoon to make it 2-0. The Wildcats maintained their two-goal advantage through the remainder of the first half, while goalkeeper Tyler Barth made several saves to keep Bryant & Stratton off the scoreboard.
Bryant & Stratton came out strong after halftime and cut the deficit to one in the 53rd minute when a Bobcats substitute scored off an assist from Geoffrey Owusu. The visitors continued to create chances, but Barth made another save shortly after the goal to keep SUNY Poly in front.
The Bobcats eventually pulled even in the 73rd minute when Nakeel Wright scored to make it 2-2. The match remained tightly contested as both teams battled for the deciding goal, with Barth making another important save in the 78th minute to keep the Wildcats level.
With the match approaching its final minutes, SUNY Poly found the breakthrough it needed. Jerome scored his second goal of the afternoon in the 86th minute, putting the Wildcats back in front, 3-2. The Bobcats pushed forward in the closing minutes, but the Wildcats' defense held firm to secure the victory.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will hit the road on Friday, September 4, when they travel to face SUNY Oswego. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM.
