It is hard to imagine that any team can be disappointed after continuing a season long unbeaten streak.
But that’s exactly the sentiment hovering over the Rensselaer men’s soccer team locker room after tying two winnable games this weekend.
Saturday’s contest against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ended with neither team getting on the scoreboard despite a dominating performance by the Red Hawks.
The Red Hawks appeared on the brink of scoring all game but found new ways to blow scoring chances, the most dramatic of which came in with just six seconds to go in the second and final overtime period.
Freshman Sal Mangano has been solid in his rookie season scoring two goals in six games, but the rookie should have his third of the year.
After MCLA goalie Zach Natale bit on a beautiful fake by Craig DiDomenico, Mangano found himself standing alone in front of any empty net. DiDomenico saw him too, and delivered a clean pass to the youngster whose one-timer sailed over the empty net.
RPI out shot MCLA 43-5 but managed to only get six shots on goaltender Zach Natale who gobbled up several excellent Rensselaer scoring chances.
Saturday’s contest against Worcester State saw much of the same for the Red Hawks, an excellent performance that ended in a 1-1 tie.
Rensselaer actually found themselves trailing early in the second half despite out shooting the Lancers 10-4 in the first half.
However, just minutes after Worcester’s Chuck Demonico put his team up, Kevin Grammer made everything all square.
Grammer took a cross from DiDomenico and jammed the ball into the upper right corner, ending the scoring for the game.
Rensselaer again walked away baffled after launching 28 shots and nine corner kicks but yet only coming away with one goal.
RPI will have to forget this past weekend as they prepare to enter Liberty League play this weekend, an area where they struggled last season going just 1-9.
Friday at 6 pm, National and conference powerhouse St. Lawrence will provide Rensselaer with their greatest challenge of the young season, testing both the physical and mental skill of the Red Hawks.
The Saints are again ranked in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll and are favored by many to win the Liberty League and NCAA titles.
RPI did beat two nationally-ranked teams in 2003 and it would be foolhardy for the Saints to overlook the Red Hawks.
Clarkson, who was the only team RPI beat in league play in 2003, will wrap up a long homestand for RPI Saturday afternoon at 4 pm.
