Box Score CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Nick Tata (Rochester/Aquinas Institute) scored his team-high sixth goal of the season in the first half and the goal held up as Cortland defeated Potsdam, 1-0, in men's soccer SUNYAC action Friday afternoon at Jets Field. The Red Dragons improved to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in the conference with the win. The Bears fell to 5-3-1 and 0-2.

Sophomore Chris Hettler (Hauppauge/Smithtown West) assisted on Tata's goal. Junior goalkeeper Connor Young (Bayport/Bayport-Blue Point) made seven saves in posting his second consecutive shutout. Freshman goalie Jake Mitchell (Brockport) registered one save for Potsdam.

Tata's game-winning goal came in the 17th minute. After a Potsdam foul outside of the box on the right side, Hettler bent a serve in front of the goal where Tata one touched a shot inside the left post.

Much of the action for the remainder of the opening half and well into the second half stayed in the midfield. As the game moved into the later stages, the Bears pressed for the game-tying goal, creating back-to-back chances in the 72nd and 74th minutes, but Young made a save on a point-blank shot by Potsdam freshman Ted Bruschini (Wilton/South Glens) and grabbed junior Brandon Laurin's (Chazy) header just under the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Cortland senior Daniel Friend (Deer Park) nearly gave the Red Dragons an insurance goal, striking a 15-yard volley that forced Mitchell to deny with a sprawling save. Potsdam generated two more chances in the closing moments of the game. With two minutes remaining, sophomore Connor DeSantis (Rotterdam/Mohonasen) blasted a shot from the top of the box that Young stopped with a dive. Then, with 35 seconds on the clock after a Cortland hand ball, Young made an easy save on graduate student Patrick Mylod's (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) 23-yard free kick.
  
Cortland 1, Potsdam 0

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Potsdam: no scoring
Cortland: Nick Tata 1-0, Chris Hettler 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 1, Potsdam 0
Shots: Potsdam 10, Cortland 8
Corner Kicks: Cortland 4, Potsdam 1
Fouls: Potsdam 13, Cortland 8
Saves: Jake Mitchell (Potsdam) 1 (1 GA in 90:00); Connor Young (Cortland) 7 (0 GA in 90:00)

Record after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 7-2, 2-1 SUNYAC, Potsdam (Bears) 5-3-1, 0-2 SUNYAC