Couble Shines as Bobcats Advance to Final Four

Concord, NH ~ The Paul Smith's College men's soccer team won a thriller in penalty kicks on Sunday, punching their ticket to the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) Final Four with a win over NHTI. 

The #4 vs. #5 play-in game between the Bobcats and the Lynx was neck and neck all game, but in the end, it was a key save on a penalty kick from freshman goalkeeper Cazmir Couble (Spofford, NH) that tilted the scales in favor of a Paul Smith's College victory. 

The game got off to a slow start with neither team breaking through in the first half as both PSC and NHTI played solid defense.  It wasn't until the second half in the 59^th minute that Antoine Leary broke the stalemate, putting the Lynx up 1-0. 

The Bobcats would answer just under two minutes later as Nick Grover buried his 14^th goal of the season on a perfectly placed through ball from teammate Treyantae Leak (Troy, NY).  The senior left wing gathered a quick touch off the throw-in from teammate Tyler Vogle (Fort Plain, NY) before delivering the long cross to the top of the 18 where Grover sliced between two defenders, headed the ball to his feet, and slotted the ball at a narrow angle just inside the right post. 

The 1-1 tie continued at the end of regulation and although both teams had chances in overtime, nobody could find the back of the net.  It then headed to penalty kicks, as a trip to the YSCC Final Four in Albany was on the line. 

NHTI chose to shoot first as the higher seed, and after round 1 both teams were knotted at 1-1 as Grover and Leary both converted their penalties.  Pannayliotis Kostaki of NHTI was first up in the second round.  As he paced up to the ball, PSC goalkeeper Cazmir Couble had the look of a man possessed, keying onto Kostaki's stride and timing his jump to his left side perfectly as the ball was struck.  He extended his arms and pushed the ball away from the net, putting the Bobcats in the driver's seat.  He finished the game with 9 saves.  

"I was overcome with emotion when I felt the ball come off my hands," said Couble.  "I had trained pks on off days and after practice with my teammates… working on guessing direction, using proper timing off the line, and getting as much distance as possible from my dives.  I'm thankful the training paid off."  

Adam Holt (Spencerport, NY), Treyantae Leak, and Dalton Tenorio (Crestview, FL) all converted their penalties, as did the Lynx, and it came down to the 10^th and final kicker, Derek Burns (Bloomville, NY).  Burns calmly and deliberately walked up to the penalty area and placed the ball on the mark.  Rubbing his hands together, he awaited the referee's whistle as the anticipation grew.  Burns took three quick steps and buried the ball on the far-right side past goalkeeper Steven Newton-Delgado as the camera panned out to the Bobcats bench emptying onto the pitch.

"Knowing I was the last pk taker was very nerve wracking – I didn't want to let my coaches or my teammates down," reflected Burns.  "High intensity situations like that as an athlete are both terrifying and adrenaline inducing.  But in my head, I told myself I was made for this because I was relied on in game winning situations before throughout my sports career," he added. 

The ice-cold performance from Burns was one of the reasons why head coach Zack Luzzi chose him as the fifth and final shooter.  "With about 5' left in the second OT period I looked at Justin and said 'I'm going to write down our shooting order'- we're going to PKs.  Putting Derek last on the shooting order was a no brainer for us.  He's calm as could be and knows what to do.  Once Caz made the save on the second pk we knew Derek would send us through," said Luzzi.

Luzzi added "As a coach I couldn't be prouder of how our team battled back, played great defense, and managed to send us through to the Semi-finals for the third straight year in a row."

The win signifies yet another trip to the Semi-finals for the men's soccer team, who has seen a reawakening since Covid.  They have made the trip to the YSCC Final Four each of the last three years, and the confidence from this win could help them punch their ticket to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Men's Soccer D2 National Tournament next month. 

They will take on the #1 seed Central Maine CC Mustangs on Saturday in Albany, NY in the YSCC Semi-finals at 1pm at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) soccer field.  

You can follow the men's soccer team on their Instagram at @paulsmithsmsoc or follow the general athletics account at @smitty_nation for schedules, scores, photos, and much more!

At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.