The men’s soccer team geared up this past weekend to play Rutgers and UC-Riverside in the Central New York Classic tournament on Beyer-Small ’76 Field. The Raiders took on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Friday, September 4. Colgate took an early lead in the game off a skillful kick around the goalkeeper and into the lower left-hand corner of the net by junior forward Ethan Kutler just five minutes into the game. The striker looks to continue his success from last season as a prolific scorer for the Raiders. Scoring 12 goals last season, Kutler started the season with a goalless match against Northwestern, but quickly recovered with a goal in each of the Raiders’ contests this weekend.  

The Scarlet Knights continued to press the Raiders’ defense throughout the first half, with four corner kicks, and an equalizer in the eighteenth minute. 

Rutgers came out of halftime firing on all cylinders, and scored a second and final goal just 24 seconds into the second half. From that point on, the game was all about defense, with neither team being able to score another goal. The match ended in a 2-1 loss for the Raiders, but an impressive showing against a solid Rutgers team. 

On Sunday, the men took on UC-Riverside in a thrilling overtime match. Ten minutes into the contest, Kutler scored a beautiful goal off of an assist by first-year midfielder Tim Oberg. After eleven minutes of play, UC-Riverside tied it up and pressured the Raiders’ defense by taking nine shots on goal. In the second half alone Colgate had seven shots on goal, but none found the back of the net, forcing the game into overtime. 

Having already played in an overtime match this year, the Raiders were confident in their game, and the pressure did not faze them. Gaining possession of the ball early into extra time, the Raiders worked their way across the pitch with precision, putting UC-Riverside on their heels. First-year defender Aram Ouligian scored his first collegiate goal for the Raiders, and a clutch one at that, off of assists by junior forward Zach Pagani and Kutler to win the game for the Raiders in the 93rd minute of play. 

Junior goalie Ricky Brown was instrumental in the defensive success for the Raiders after the early goal, saving six shots and carrying the Raiders

to overtime.

The team now looks to continue their success from the match against UC-Riverside, as they travel to Hanover to face Dartmouth this Friday at 7 p.m.