Score: #16 SUNY Cortland 3, Elmira College 0
Records: Cortland (3-0-2), Elmira (1-4-0)
Location: Jets Field – Cortland, N.Y.
 
CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's soccer team faced its toughest test of the young season tonight, as the Soaring Eagles battled the No. 16 nationally-ranked Red Dragons of SUNY Cortland. Despite a valiant effort on the defensive side of the ball, the Purple and Gold were unable to overcome a smothering attack from Cortland, who went on to claim tonight's non-conference match by a 3-0 final score.
 
Cortland, which continued its unbeaten start to the 2018 season, outshot Elmira 30-to-2. However, the Elmira back line challenged nearly every Red Dragon shot and limited the hosts to just six shots on goal. The Cortland attack did however generate 15 corner-kick opportunities, two of which resulted in goals.
 
Jake Keller opened the scoring for the Red Dragons in the 29th minute, as he buried a header off of a cross from Miguel Tunas on a corner-kick opportunity. EC's defense held Cortland scoreless for the remainder of the first half, but would eventually allow two additional goals in the final 30 minutes of regulation.
 
After assisting on the game-opening goal, Tunas scored one for himself in the 62nd minute on an assist by Migell Ormsby. Nearly 19 minutes passed until Cortland's next goal, when Vic Stasyuk connected on a cross by Eli Yasuna on a corner kick in the 81st minute.
 
Kairu Taira '22 and John Broyles '19 logged one shot apiece for the Soaring Eagles, both of which came in the second half. EC's starting netminder, Giovanni Garufi '22, made three saves under the lights at Jets Field.

In His Own Words...
"Tonight was another big learning moment for our young team," said head coach Kevin Brenner. "Number 16 in the nation is for a good reason, Cortland is a very elite team who tied the defending national champions, Messiah College, earlier this year. We have scheduled these types of games on purpose - the team will be better off for it in the long run and translate into Empire 8 play starting this Saturday."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira heads into conference play with a 1-4-0 overall record.
• Garufi has made 11 saves during his freshman season.
• Broyles logged his first shot of the year. 

Up Next
The Elmira men return to the pitch this Saturday, September 15, when they open up Empire 8 Conference play with a road bout against the Highlanders of Houghton College. The league tilt is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Houghton's home turf at Burke Field.