The Keuka College men's soccer team had its chances during Tuesday night's pivotal North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) clash with rival Cazenovia College, but the Wildcats scored a first-half own goal and handed the Storm a 1-0 setback at the Jephson Community Athletic Complex.

Keuka (6-3, 4-3 NEAC) lost after being outshot 22-8 by the Wildcats (5-5, 4-0 NEAC), a veteran squad that features eight seniors.

Neither team scored during the game's first 37 minutes, though each school had good looks on goal. Cazenovia's Oleg Martynyuk fired two shots on goal in the first five minutes, but freshman Preston Vick (Kendall, NY/Kendall), the NEAC's reigning Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week, turned away each opportunity.

Senior Nate Smith (Hilton, NY/Hilton) had a good look from 15 yards out in the seventh minute, but his blast sailed high over the goal to keep the contest scoreless.

Cazenovia finally broke through in the 38th minute when Taras Stashkiv ripped a shot from 12 yards out that struck off a Storm defender's foot and into the far corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead.

After Cazenovia controlled both possession and the midfield in out-shooting the Green and Gold 12-4 in the first half, Keuka did a better job of attacking after halftime.

The Storm's best scoring chances came in the second half, once when sophomore Austin Gerber (Churchville, NY/Churchville-Chili) made a nice run along the near sideline, only to slip on the wet field.

Down to its last ninety seconds, Smith made a long run down field and had a breakaway with the keeper, but as he was bearing down on goal, Smith's last touch traveled a bit too far and Cazenovia keeper Riley Battaglini picked up the loose ball to preserve the win.

Vick finished with a career-high nine saves, including a big stop late in the second to maintain the one-goal deficit. Stashkiv had a breakaway and pushed a shot towards the far post, but Vick dived and managed to deflect his 75th minute shot wide of goal.

The Storm returns to action with a 1 p.m. home game Saturday afternoon against NEAC rival SUNY Cobleskill, the third of six straight home games for the Green and Gold.