SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – A goal in the 70th minute by senior Ethan Strauss (Delmar, N.Y.) proved to be the decisive factor in a 1-0 win over New Paltz on Saturday evening at College Park Field. The win gives Union College a perfect 2-0 start to the 2017 season, after the Dutchmen opened the season on Friday night with an OT win.
 
Sophomore Salvador Lopez Jr. (Port Chester, N.Y.) started the play which eventually led to the lone goal of the game. Lopez Jr. collected the ball just on the opposing side of midfield and made a terrific pass through the defense to Strauss who was able to get in alone with the New Paltz goalkeeper John Guzzo. The veteran Strauss calmly placed his shot in the lower right side of the net for his first tally of the season.
 
New Paltz made a strong push in the final minutes of the game to equalize, but Union goalkeeper John Weitzman (Armonk, N.Y.) stayed strong in net and made a total of five saves in the contest for his 13th career clean sheet.
 
Strauss led Union with two shots on net, while teammates Griffin Cowles (Londonderry, N.H.) and Pedram Malakian (Toronto, Ontario) each registered one shot on net a piece.
 
The Union College men's soccer team returns to the pitch on Tuesday, Sept. 5, with a short road trip against Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The match will begin at 8 p.m. (ET) in Albany.