CHESTER, PA. – The nationally 10th-ranked Cortland men's soccer team bounced back from a season-opening setback with a convincing 5-2 victory at Widener Sunday afternoon in non-conference action, evening its record at 1-1. The Pride dropped to 0-2 with the loss.

Junior AJ Ali (Rochester/Brighton) scored his first three goals as a Red Dragon to lead the offense. Junior Jack Coleman (Newark Valley/Maine-Endwell) tallied a goal and an assist, sophomore Matt Shultz (Oneonta) netted a goal and senior Mike Hunsucker (Smithtown/Smithtown West), juniors Alex Lessman (Plainview/Plainview-Old Bethpage) and Mateo Marra (Ossining) and freshman Michael Ruggiero (Holtsville/Sachem East) each recorded an assist. Freshman goalie Luke van Galen (Georgetown, MA) made three saves in collecting a win in his first collegiate start.

Andrew Hurrell and Carter Hoover scored Widener's goals with Michael Donaghy picking up an assist. Goalie Ryan Van Pelt turned aside two shots.

Cortland took a 2-0 lead at the half on goals from Coleman in the 16th minute and Ali in the 44th minute. Hurrell cut the Red Dragon lead to 2-1 in the 56th minute before Ali tallied his second goal in the 63rd minute. Hoover made it a 3-2 game just 47 seconds later, but Ali answered with his third goal and Shultz finished the scoring with his first goal of the season in the 84th minute for the 5-2 final.

Cortland 5, Widener 2

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: AJ Ali 3-0, Jack Coleman 1-1, Matt Shultz 1-0, Mike Hunsucker 0-1, Mateo Marra 0-1, Alex Lessman 0-1, Michael Ruggiero 0-1
Widener: Andrew Hurrell 1-0, Carter Hoover 1-0, Michael Donaghy 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 2, Widener 0
Shots: Widener 11, Cortland 11
Corner Kicks: Widener 8, Cortland 5
Fouls: Cortland 17, Widener 6
Saves: Luke van Galen (Cortland) 3 saves (2 GA in 90:00); Ryan Van Pelt (Widener) 2 saves (5 GA in 90:00)

Record after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 1-1 (ranked 10th nationally in Div. III), Widener (Pride) 0-2