CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The nationally sixth-ranked Cortland men's soccer team advanced to the NCAA Div. III tournament third round for the second season in a row due to winning a penalty-kick shootout, 5-3, after the Red Dragons and Case Western Reserve played to a 1-1 tie through regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods.

Cortand (16-2-3) next faces nationally third-ranked Middlebury next weekend in a sectional game at a time and location to be determined. The Spartans finished their season at 10-3-4.

Senior Mateo Marra (Ossining) scored his 11th goal of the season for Cortland. Sophomore goalie Jordan Ott (Fort Worth, TX/Southwest Christian) turned aside four shots, but his most important stop was an unofficial save during the shootout.

First-year Adam Pluszczyk (White Lake, MI/Lakeland) tallied his first goal of the season for Case Western Reserve. Sophomore goalie Bradley Winter (Marietta, GA/Blessed Trinity Catholic) registered one save, and the team recorded one team save.

The physical game featured 33 fouls and five yellow cards, with all of the bookings issued to Cortland players. The shots were even at 12 apiece, and Cortland held a 10-5 in advantage in corner kicks.

After a scoreless first half, the Red Dragons grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute. A Spartan handball in the box after a Cortland corner kick awarded Cortland a penalty kick, which Marra converted. Case Western Reserve turned up the offensive pressure and evened the score in the 70th minute when Pluszczyk scored on a loose ball in the box after a Spartan free kick.

In the closing minutes of regulation and the two 10-minute overtime periods, both defenses took over and limited any quality scoring chances sending the outcome of the game to penalty kicks.

Each team converted its first chance as Marra and senior Matt Vatne (Sterling Heights, MI/Adlai Stevenson) were successful. Cortland graduate student Riley Williams (Watertown/South Jefferson) converted his chance, and Ott made his biggest save of the match with a diving stop at the left post on Case Western Reserve's second opportunity.

Cortland junior Matt Shultz (Oneonta) and Spartan senior Alex Lippiatt (Westlake Village, CA/Oaks Christian) followed with successful conversions as did Cortland junior Logan Comfort (Cazenovia) and Case Western Reserve senior Josh Cook (Johnstown, OH/Johnstown-Monroe) setting the stage for the Red Dragons to earn the advancement with a made attempt on the next try. Junior Yasin Choukri (Wilton, CT) successfully found the back of the net to send the Red Dragons into the next round of the NCAA playoffs.
 
Cortland 1, Case Western Reserve 1 (2OT) (Cortland advances on penalty kicks, 5-3)

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Case Western Reserve: Adam Pluszczyk 1-0
Cortland: Mateo Marra 1-0

Halftime: Cortland 0, Case Western Reserve 0
Shots: Cortland 12, Case Western Reserve 12
Corner Kicks: Cortland 10, Case Western Reserve 5
Fouls: Cortland 19, Case Western Reserve 14
Saves: Bradley Winter (Case Western Reserve) 1 save (1 GA in 110:00), 1 Team save; Jordan Ott (Cortland) 4 saves (1 GA in 110:00)

Record after game: Case Western Reserve (Spartans) 10-3-4; Cortland (Red Dragons) 16-2-3 (ranked sixth nationally in Div. III)