2026 Skyline Conference Men's Soccer Championship - First Round
(5) Farmingdale State - 5, (4) Merchant Marine - 3
KINGS POINT, N.Y. | The fifth-seeded Farmingdale State men's soccer team advanced to the Skyline Conference semifinals Sunday afternoon with a 5-3 victory at No. 4 Merchant Marine in the first round of the conference playoffs. Freshman forward Javier Newman (Amityville, N.Y.) led the Rams with four goals and eight points, becoming just the third player in program history to score four goals in a single game. The Rams improved to 9-9-2 overall and will move on to face top-seeded Manhattanville on Wednesday.
Farmingdale State jumped out to a 2-0 first-half lead behind a pair of goals from Newman. Newman opened the scoring in the seventh minute, finishing a play set up by junior defender William Guillen (Locust Valley, N.Y.) and sophomore forward Lucca Noboa (Freeport, N.Y.).
Newman struck again in the 30th minute, this time finding the back of the net off assists from Noboa and junior midfielder Sebastian Cuenca (East Rockaway, N.Y.) to give the Rams a two-goal advantage.
Merchant Marine cut the deficit to 2-1 just 12 seconds into the second half, but Farmingdale State responded in the 55th minute. Sophomore midfielder Carlos Hernandez (Dix Hills, N.Y.) scored off a pass from junior midfielder Johnny Guillen (Locust Valley, N.Y.) to restore the Rams' two-goal lead.
The Mariners pulled within one again in the 76th minute, making it 3-2, before Newman completed his hat trick in the 82nd minute to push the advantage to 4-2.
Merchant Marine continued to battle and scored in the 87th minute to make it a one-goal game once again. The Rams held on as Newman put the match away in the final minute, finishing a pass from sophomore midfielder Josue Corea (Wyandanch, N.Y.) for his fourth goal of the afternoon and a 5-3 Farmingdale State victory.
Newman led the Rams with four goals for an eight-point performance. His eight points are tied for the second-most in a single match in program history. Noboa finished with two assists, while Hernandez added a goal.
Farmingdale State finished with a 17-16 advantage in shots and put 10 attempts on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Vas Dallas (Garden City South, N.Y.) made four saves in the victory.
The Rams will next travel to top-seeded Manhattanville for the Skyline Conference semifinals on Wednesday, November 4th, at 4 p.m.
