BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State men's soccer team allowed five first half goals, and were unable to mount a comeback in a 5-3 loss to Cortland on Saturday evening at Coyer Field.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Cortland – 5, Buffalo State – 3
LOCATION: Coyer Field – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS: Cortland (10-1-1, 4-0-0 SUNYAC), Buffalo State (7-3-0, 1-2-0 SUNYAC)
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE
- Theo Pencic (Oslo, Norway/Heltberg) led the Bengals with two goals and an assist.
- Zak Shaibi (Buffalo, NY/McKinley) added a goal Musa Abdullah (Lackawanna, NY) tallied an assist.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Cortland jumped out to an early lead in the second minute when Anthony Ruggiero tapped in a rebound off a saved shot.
- Ruggiero tallied once again in the 19th minute, chesting a cross just over the goal line.
- Cortland scored again less than two minutes later as Ruggiero fed Blake Aronson on a give-and-go to extend the Red Dragon lead to three.
- After a indirect free kick was awarded inside the penalty box, the Red Dragons added another goal when Nicholas Pfeiffer tapped the ball to Scott Cebollero, who blasted a shot into the top left corner of the net.
- The Bengals pulled a goal back in the 30th minute as Pencic's free kick bounced around the penalty box before falling to Shaibi, who finished into the bottom left corner.
- Pfeiffer added Cortland's final goal just before halftime, knocking a cross at the near post into the net.
- Early in the second half, Buffalo State scored as Abdullah fed Pencic with a through ball behind the defense. Pencic tucked the ball past the keeper.
- In the 70th minute, Pencic scored a penalty kick after Abdullah was pulled down in the box by a defender.
- Pencic was denied by goalkeeper Braden Melveney in the 75th minute from the penalty spot after another foul in the box.
- The Bengals pushed for goals in the final 15 minutes, but were unable to put another past the Cortland goalkeeper.
FOR THE FOES
- Ruggiero finished with two goals and an assist, while Jack Coleman recorded two assists.
- Melveney made nine saves, including the penalty save, to record the victory.
UP NEXT
Buffalo State hosts Alfred University in a non-confernce matchup on Tuesday night, before hitting the road for more SUNYAC action next weekend.