Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/4/11) – The Colgate men's soccer team secured its fourth shutout win of the season on Tuesday night when it defeated Albany 3-0 at Van Doren Field.
 
Senior Steven Miller, sophomore Scott Brown and junior Shane Conlin each scored a goal for the Raiders, while junior goalkeeper Grant Reed had an assist in the opening goal by Miller. This was the most goals the team has scored in a game this season.
 
Colgate (6-2-2, 0-1-1 PL) came out to a strong start in the first half, battling to control the game as the teams adapted to the slick conditions of the wet pitch. As the game continued, the Raiders began to settle down and move the ball around as they looked for hole in Albany's defense. Their persistence soon paid off in the 13th minute when a long punt from Reed down the center of the field took a bounce past the defenders to Miller, who then beat them with his speed and blasted the ball into the lower left corner to give his team the 1-0 lead. Down a goal, the Great Danes picked up their intensity and began to play a more physical game that resulted in a few attempts on net but with no success. In the closing minutes of the half, Colgate continued to hold the shooting advantage, coming close on several occasion, but by half time the score remained 1-0. 
 
The Raiders carried their offensive rhythm into the second half, attacking Albany's goal early. The pressure then resulted in a second goal at the 52:47 mark, when senior Matt Schuber passed the ball to Brown who dribbled it down the left wing, cut into the center and then chipped it into the right corner to put the score at 2-0. Both teams continued to play aggressively with Colgate hungry for another goal and the Great Danes looking to find their first. However, in the end it was the Raiders that were able to get on the scoreboard once more at the 81:53 mark, when Conlin sprinted down the right wing, used some fancy footwork to get past his defender and then fired it into the left corner with his left foot to put the final score at 3-0.
 
Reed and senior Chris Miller shared time in goal, with Miller making three saves for Colgate and Reed recording his first collegiate assist. Albany's Scott Kessler had six stops in 90 minutes of play.

"I am very pleased with our performance," stated head coach Erik Ronning. "Any time you score three goals and get a clean sheet, you have to be happy. We lacked some intensity in the first half, but some of our reserves came in and raised our level. It was a total team effort. Looking forward, we must prepare well over the next few days and get ready for a tough league contest at Holy Cross."

The Raiders will resume play this weekend when they travel to Holy Cross for their third Patriot League matchup on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m.