“It was a tough game for them,” Rensselaer Head Coach Adam Clinton said of Elmira, who arrived late to Troy after losing a make-up contest against Ithaca College earlier that day.

RPI forward Mike Henzel did not offer the struggling Eagles a warm welcome to Harkness as the freshman headed home a corner kick from senior midfielder Eddie Sellitto to put the Red Hawks up 1-0 just 42 seconds into the contest. Henzel was named Co-Rookie of the Week by the Liberty League for his showing.

Just over 10 minutes later, senior Stefano Bonissone scored the final goal of his Rensselaer career on a penalty kick to put RPI up 2-0. The Red Hawks would have numerous chances to add to the lead, but were held scoreless for the rest of the half by Elmira netminder Jon DePrimo, who finished with 10 saves in the game.

RPI would add the final goal midway through the second half as senior backer Kris Zanotto found the back of the net off a corner kick from sophomore midfielder Sal Mangano.

“It was a great way to send off our seniors,” Clinton said. “I’m proud of the way the guys did not just pack it in on the season.”

Despite the Red Hawks’ success, Clinton was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance. The game reiterated a disturbing trend that plagued RPI all season; their inability to finish. Rensselaer had seven times as many scoring chances as the Soaring Eagles, but could only manage three goals.

“We never thought we weren’t going to win the game,” Clinton said. “But we still had trouble scoring, which bothered me.”

The Red Hawks averaged the most shots on goal per game in the Liberty League, but were only third in goals scored per game with an average of under two. Rensselaer’s stout defense also struggled at times, committing costly mistakes that caused the Red Hawks to finish fourth in goals against per game. RPI led the league with eight shutouts, their only wins of the season.

“It was a frustrating season,” Clinton admitted. “We were in every game but managed to blow leads and things just never seemed to go our way.”

The game concluded the careers of six Rensselaer seniors: Center back and captain Joe Johnson, forward Craig DiDomenico, Sellitto, Zanotto, Bonissone, and Lot Serebour. This class holds a special place in Clinton as his first class that he coached for four years.

“They really returned this program to respectability,” Clinton said of a class that finished with an above .500 winning percentage and one playoff appearance. “People take us much more seriously and that is largely because of the attitude this group instilled in the program.”

Johnson, DiDomenico, Sellitto, and Zanotto were all four-year starters for RPI, and Bonissone and Serebour were major contributors on the practice field, pushing the starters. Johnson, a four-year All-Liberty League player, will be particularly irreplaceable at center back and DiDomenico, who lead the Red Hawks in goals and points the last three seasons, will be tough to replace as RPI’s top offensive threat.

The Red Hawks likely also experienced their last game with goalkeeper and captain Nick Bochette in net. The junior netminder is planning on graduating a year early.

Not making the playoffs may present Clinton with one positive: He can start recruiting to replace his losses now.

“One season is over and another season begins,” Clinton said. The fourth year head coach will desperately search for a goal scorer; something RPI will need, especially given the departure of DiDomenico.

Other priorities for Clinton are to find a goalkeeper to back up sophomore goalie John Thibdeau, a center back to fill Johnson’s vacated hole, and to add more depth to the team’s center midfield.