Men’s Soccer Blanks SUNY Cobleskill

COBLESKILL, N.Y.—The MCLA Men's Soccer Team picked up their third straight win this afternoon, traveling to SUNY Cobleskill for a 2-0 victory. Jacob Malburg picked up his third goal of the season in as many games, while Traizen Griffith picked up his second goal in as many games. Avery Manzolini added an insurance goal late in the game for his second of the year. MCLA keeper Ryan Taylor maintained a clean sheet to record his second career shutout.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024
• Score: MCLA 3, SUNY Cobleskill 0
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 3-3-0 (MASCAC 0-0-0) | SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers 1-5-0 (NAC 0-0-0)
• Series History: MCLA is undefeated against SUNY Cobleskill, having won 11 games in a row, including a 3-0 last year on September 1, 2023. The streak began when the teams met for the first time on October 29, 2009, in a 4-3 win at SUNY Cobleskill.

HIGHLIGHTS

• MCLA scored the only goal of the first half when sophomore midfielder Traizen Griffith (Enfield, CT) converted his second goal of the season off a pass from senior midfielder Avani Richardson (Amherst, MA) in the 19^th minute. Richardson stopped a poor clear attempt along the left sideline and lofted a ball over the top of the SUNY Cobleskill back line to a streaking Griffith, who redirected the ball past the crashing netminder. The goal was Griffith's second of the year and second in as many days. The helper was Richardson's second of the season.
• Junior forward Jacob Malburg (Amesbury, MA) doubled the Trailblazers' lead in the opening minute of the second half, knocking home a rebound that came out of a scrum after a corner kick in front of the host's net. Ronan Connors (Hamilton, MA) started the play from the corner. Michael Smith (Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY) headed the ball into a group of players around the six-yard box. Eventually, the ball found its way to David Kankam (Pittsfield, MA) for a backheel attempt that the goalie fell on but failed to control, allowing Malburg to bang it home.
• In the 88^th minute, junior forward Avery Manzolini (New Lebanon, NY) provided MCLA with an insurance goal. A Fighting Tiger defender failed to control a pass back into their own defensive end as they attempted to reverse fields. Manzolini made them pay a hefty price by chipping the ball into the net from about 30 yards out as they goalie had come too far forward in an effort to help his defenders. The goal was Manzolini's second of the season and 6^th of his MCLA career.
• Trailblazers' senior goalkeeper Ryan Taylor (Plattsburgh, NY) stopped all three shots on goal he faced and saw his record improve to 3-2-0. The shutout was the second of his career, following up on his 3-0 win last season in the season opener against these same Fighting Tigers.
• SUNY Cobleskill's Adam Champlain fell to 1-5-0 despite stopping eight shots.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Trailblazers' 11-0-0 record against SUNY Cobleskill is the program's best record against any opponent, with more than four games played.

UP NEXT:

On Friday, MCLA will be back in action when they play host to Framingham State for a MASCAC matchup with the Rams at Shewcraft Field. The teams will take the pitch for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

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