The ESF men's soccer team started its HVIAC conference schedule with a big 8-0 win over Davis College Sept. 14. Senior Joe Marino lead the Mighty Oaks with two goals. On Sept. 17, the team traveled to Albany to face conference rivals Albany College of Pharmacy. The Mighty Oaks lost twice to the Panthers last season and that trend continued as ESF fell 1-0 on a Zak Giorgi goal in the 31st minute of the first half. Despite outshooting the Panthers 23-6, the Mighty Oak could not find the back of the net. The 1-0 defeat was the team's first loss of the season.
The following day, the team travelled to Hyde Park to face Culinary Institute of America in another HVIAC contest. The Mighty Oaks came away with a victory in a 6-3 shootout vs the Steels. The Steels got on the board less than a minute into the game when Maxwell Morhmann converted a cross from Brent Goodbrake. ESF responded two minutes later when freshman Thys Reynolds capitalized on a mistake by the Steels' goalkeeper, which got the Mighty Oaks on the board. Reynolds scored again during a scamble in front of the goals at the 12-minute mark, putting ESF up 2-1. Culinary tied up the score, 2-2, 12 minutes later on a powerful shot to the upper left post from Goodbrake. ESF continued its first half scoring frenzy with two goals within a minute by freshman Joseph Kulikowski and Marino. The Steels added another goal at the 44th minute to cap off a seven-goal first half. ESF lead 4-3 at half time.
In the second half, the pace was much slower as the Mighty Oaks played more strategically and maintained better possession of the ball. Sophomore George Beinetti's blast from 22 yards out found the back of the net at the 61st minute. Senior Jorge Guarin added to the Mighty Oaks lead at the 63rd minute when Reynolds found Guarin for the open shot from six yards out. The goal put ESF up 6-3. With the win, the men's team improves to 4-1 overall, 2-1 in conference play. The team will face the King's College Sept. 24 followed by Webb Institute Sept. 25 in New York City.