When Genesee Community College entered its National Junior College Athletic Association D-III men's soccer semifinal game with an 18-game win streak, Genesee's Cougars knew that streak began after a 2-1 double overtime loss to Camden County's Cougars - the same Camden team standing in the way of Genesee's chance to go to the 2017 title game.
But when the semifinal contest ended the only thing hotter than the 18-degree temperature was Genesee's now 19-game unbeaten streak.
This time around there wasn't any overtime to decide the winner as Genesee beat Camden 3-1 and now faces six-time and current reigning national champion Richland College (14-2-1), Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at hosting college Herkimer.
After a scoreless first half, it was looking like the teams might play another overtime game, but Ben Wattis got the Genesee on the board first just two-and-a-half minutes into the second half. Wattis shot the ball to his right from the ground to break the scoreless deadlock.
Camden needed less than a minute to knot the game and it stayed tied for about the next 30 minutes.
In a span of 61 seconds Genesee scored a pair of goals with the first coming with 11:59 left in the game and then the second with just under 11 minutes to all but seal the win.
Ryan Price was in perfect position in front of the Camden goalkeeper that allowed Ross White's shot to find the back of the net for the game winner, but then Price added some insurance with a goal of his own to punch Genesee's ticket to the championship game.
Charlie Livesey assisted on Price's goal – adding to his nation-leading and all-time team assist total for a single season.
David Ormiston registered three saves on the day and Genesee out-shot Camden 7-4, including a 4-1 margin in the second half where the game was decided.
The win was Genesee's 10th consecutive and the team has now logged almost 1750 game minutes without any other team defeating them that includes 17 regulation games and two overtime ones.
When the eight region winners began play for the 2017 title Thursday, the only common fact among them was whichever team won three games would be crowned national champion. Now only two teams remain that can win a third playoff game and a national title, and one of those two is Genesee.
