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STONE RIDGE, N.Y. — SUNY Ulster men’s soccer team ended a nine-year drought last season by capturing the school’s first Mid-Hudson
Conference championship since 2012.
The Senators can make more history Wednesday if they can defeat SUNY Westchester Community College to earn back-to-back titles for the first time since the school accomplished the feat in 2011 and 2012. SUNY Ulster will host the conference championship game starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday on Rondout Valley High’s turf field.
Coach Jamal-Lis Simmons, who was hired in 2016 to rejuvenate the once-powerful SUNY Ulster soccer program, said another conference championship would mean a lot to the community college.
“It would solidify that this is the new standard for our program going forward,” he said. “To potentially win back-to-back titles means we’ve done some good work over the last few years.”
SUNY Ulster (8-2-1) blanked SUNY Westchester 4-0 on Oct. 1 on the road. Lis-Simmons is cautioning his club not to think the rematch will be a cakewalk.
“My message to the team is that what we did earlier in the season means absolutely nothing now,” the Senators coach said. “We have to prove it every time we take the field. This is a championship game, so both teams will go in thinking they can win and we need to be ready to prove again that we are the better team.”
Lis-Simmons said the strategy entering the game against SUNY Westchester isn’t that complicated.
“For us, the main key to beating Westchester Community College is to just play our game,” he said. “Individually, guys understand their roles and collectively we know what we have to do. We’re confident that if we stay mentally tough and play our game, we will give ourselves a chance to win.”
The Senators have parlayed an opportunistic offense with a stingy defense to fashion an impressive record. SUNY Ulster has outscored opponents 41-10.
Freshman Javi Rodriguez (Newburgh Free Academy) has scored a team-high 14 goals. Sophomore Modou Badjie (Kingston) is close behind with 10
goals. He also has five assists for a team-high 25 points. Freshman Anthony Murcia (Newburgh) has tallied seven goals and has five assists.
Kingston freshman goalie Cody Baker has started 10 games and allowed just eight goals.
“Cody has been great in goal for us, not allowing a single conference goal in the regular season,” Lis-Simmons said.
There are a total of 17 freshmen on SUNY Ulster’s talented roster. “Our incoming class has played a huge role in our success this year,” Lis-Simmons said.
In addition to the scoring prowess of Javi Rodriguez and Murcia, Lis-Simmons said Frank Rodriguez (Newburgh) and Andy Morocho (Arlington) have provided stability in the midfield and Dantae McDonald (Portmore, Jamaica) and Randall Ashong (Arlington) have been lockdown defenders. All
are freshmen.
“And Simon Kiluba (Kingston) has offered good versatility playing in many different roles,” the SUNY Ulster coach said of another freshman contributor.
The Senators have already qualified for National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) postseason play. SUNY Ulster, host Mercer County Community College (N.J.), Massasoit (Mass.) Community College and Lackawanna (Pa.) College will begin play in the four-team Sub-District
Tournament on Oct. 29.
SUNY Ulster lost 5-0 in last year’s semifinal round of the tournament.
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