Fredonia, NY – The Alfred State men's soccer team battled through adversity on Saturday afternoon but came up just short in a 1-0 road loss at Fredonia.
The Pioneers generated the first chances of the match, earning a pair of corner kicks in the opening 13 minutes and putting their lone shot on goal in the 18th minute when
Tommy Dimaggio tested the Fredonia goalkeeper.
Alfred State's defensive unit held strong throughout the opening half, with goalkeeper
Lukas Bandurski making a save in the 30th minute to keep the game scoreless. The Pioneers limited Fredonia to just three shots in the first 45 minutes and entered halftime locked in a 0-0 draw.
The complexion of the match changed late in the first half when Dimaggio was issued a red card in the 38th minute, forcing the Pioneers to play a man down for the remainder of the contest.
Despite being shorthanded, Alfred State continued to defend well early in the second half before Fredonia broke through in the 58th minute. Brendan Adams finished a setup from Dylan McAfee to score what proved to be the game-winning goal.
The Pioneers fought to find an equalizer but were unable to generate an offensive opportunity in the second half. Fredonia finished with a 7-2 advantage in shots and a 7-2 edge in corner kicks.
Bandurski played all 90 minutes between the posts for Alfred State, recording one save while keeping the Pioneers within striking distance throughout the afternoon.
With the loss, Alfred State moves to 0-6-3 overall and 0-1-1 in conference play.
The Pioneers will be back on the road on October 7th as they head to Cortland for a matchup against the Red Dragons. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 pm.
