CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland men's soccer team opened up a 4-0 lead at the half and went on to defeat New Paltz, 6-1, Saturday afternoon in SUNYAC action at Jets Field. The six goals by the Red Dragons (4-5, 1-1 SUNYAC) are the most since a 9-0 win at Wells College in 2009. The Hawks dropped to 2-5-2 and 1-1 with the loss.

Senior Bryan Merlos (Harrison) and junior Darren McCormack (Dublin, Ireland/Fingal) led Cortland with two goals each. Junior Tyler Marsh (Marathon) and sophomore Dylan Johnson (Northport) each tallied a goal. Freshman Daniel Friend (Deer Park) recorded two assists, while seniors Ian Cusack (East Northport/Northport) and Chris Barbosa (Carle Place), junior Matt Williams (Cobleskill/Cobleskill-Richmondville) and freshman Devrim Kucuk (Calverton/Riverhead) each contributed one assist. Junior goalie Tim Beavais (Hilton) stopped five shots.

Sophomore Dondre Irving (Elmont/Valley Stream North) scored the Hawks' goal with sophomore Jake Falk (Jericho) assisting on the score. Junior goalie Steven Domino (Valatie/Ichabod Crane) played the first half and made five saves. Junior Andres Montoya (Levittown/Division Avenue) registered two saves in the second half.

Merlos gave Cortland a quick 2-0 lead as Friend assisted on both goals. Merlos drove into the box on the right side and blasted a sharp-angled shot off Domino's hands and into the top right corner in the third minute, then sent a header inside the right post in the eighth minute for his team-high fifth goal of the season. McCormack connected for his first of the game in the 21st minute, tucking a low shot inside the left post on a penalty kick. The lead grew to 4-0 before intermission when Marsh finished off a header inside the right post in the 32nd minute.

McCormack buried his second goal of the game just 42 seconds into the second half after a New Paltz player was sent off with a red card. McCormack curled a 26-yard free kick inside the left post for his fourth goal of the season. The Hawks spoiled the shutout in the 79th minute. Irving accepted a pass from Falk near the top of the box, spun and hit a low shot that snuck inside the left post. Johnson, who was denied once in each half by Domino and Montoya, completed the scoring when he cleaned up Kucuk's cross from the right with a shot deep in the box.

Cortland 6, New Paltz 1

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists)
New Paltz: Dondre Irving 1-0, Jake Falk 0-1
Cortland: Bryan Merlos 2-0, Darren McCormack 2-0, Tyler Marsh 1-0, Dillon Johnson 1-0, Daniel Friend 0-2, Ian Cusack 0-1, Chris Barbosa 0-1, Matt Williams 0-1, Devrim Kucuk 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 4, New Paltz 0
Shots: Cortland 21, New Paltz 15
Corner Kicks: Cortland 2, New Paltz 2
Fouls: New Paltz 21, Cortland 14
Saves: Steven Domino (New Paltz) 5 (4 GA in 45:00), Andres Montoya (New Paltz) 2 (2 GA in 45:00); Tim Beauvais (Cortland) 5 (1 GA in 90:00)

Records after game: New Paltz (Hawks) 2-5-2, 1-1 SUNYAC; Cortland (Red Dragons) 4-5, 1-1 SUNYAC