Score: Fredonia 1, Elmira College 0
Records: Fredonia (1-0-1), Elmira (0-2-0)
Location: Coyer Field – Buffalo, N.Y.
 
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's soccer team wrapped-up play at the Buffalo State Fred Hartrick Classic this evening with a 1-0 setback to the Blue Devils of Fredonia at Coyer Field in Buffalo, New York. 
 
A young Elmira squad showed a vast improvement in form from last night's season-opening tilt. EC finished the contest with 12 shots, four of which were on goal, while Fredonia logged 13 shots and three on goal. Additionally, corner kick chances finished in favor of the Blue Devils, 5-2.
 
Fredonia bombarded EC with a flurry of offense in the opening half, as the Blue Devils launched three shots in the first six minutes. However, Elmira's back line thwarted each attempt, forcing two of those attempts to sail wide while blocking the other.
 
Elmira's attack started to gel afterword, as EC outshot Fredonia 3-to-1 over a seven-minute stretch. The last of EC's three shots was the best scoring opportunity either team had in the first half, as rookie forward Ryan Wallace '22 laced a shot in the 19th minute that caromed off of the post. The near-scoring attempt was the highlight of the opening half as Elmira entered the halftime break deadlocked with the Blue Devils, 0-0.
 
Elmira matched Fredonia shot-for-shot over the first 25 minutes of the second half, 5-5, with EC placing a pair of those attempts on frame and the Blue Devils landing one on goal. However, a string of Elmira fouls, capped with a yellow card in the 72nd minute, led to the match's lone goal.
 
Following the yellow card, Fredonia was awarded a free kick in EC's defensive third. The Blue Devils capitalized on the set piece, as a service from Jackson Retzer found Matt Belardi inside the box, where Belardi snapped a header into the back of the net for what turned out to be the game-winning tally in the 73rd minute.
 
Trailing by one goal, Elmira pressed the Fredonia defense, which yielded a trio of shots in the closing 10 minutes of regulation. Two of EC's attempts were placed on goal, but Fredonia's Ty Bentham came up with saves on both shots to solidify a 1-0 victory for the Blue Devils.

In His Own Words…
"I thought for 75 percent of the game we were the better team," said Head Coach Kevin Brenner. "However, in order to get college wins we need to have a complete 90-minute performance. We were unfortunate to concede a goal off a free-kick opportunity for Fredonia. We continue to grow with our young group of talented players. This is just another learning moment as we progress towards conference play. We will reset the mind and body, and look for a complete top performance in our home opener on Wednesday."
 
News and Notes

• Colin Morrison '19 played all 90 minutes of both games of the Hartrick Classic.
• Kairu Taira  '22 logged 164 minutes of action over the two-day tournament, the most by any EC midfielder, winger, or striker this weekend.
• Adam Nichols '20 and Luke LeClair '22 made their first NCAA Division III starts.
• Giovanni Garufi '22 made a pair of saves in net and also logged one shot on goal in the closing minutes of regulation.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to action this Wednesday, September 5, when the Soaring Eagles host Hilbert College in non-conference action. The opening kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. at Campus Field and is the first of two consecutive home games for the Purple and Gold. Following the matchup with Hilbert, EC battles the Bombers of Ithaca College on Saturday, September 8, at 3:00 p.m. in Elmira, New York.