CORTLAND, NY – The nationally 20th-ranked Cortland men's soccer team scored five times in the first half, and cruised to a 8-0 victory over Canton in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Wednesday afternoon on Holloway Field. Cortland improves to 13-3-3 (6-1-1 SUNYAC) with its sixth straight win, while Canton is 3-14-1 (0-8 SUNYAC) after its eighth straight defeat.

Matt Shultz (Oneonta) scored three times for Cortland, recording his sixth, seventh, and eighth goals in the last four games. Aaron Moretta (Penicuik, Scotland/Beeslack Community) netted his first two goals of the season, including the game-winning goal. Matias Valenzuela Matic (Santiage, Chile/Northwood School) and Josh Carroll (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comsewogue) each registered a goal and an assist, while Jordan Regis (New Rochelle) scored a goal the Red Dragons.

Stalyn Acosta (Brentwood) had two assists, and Jordan Miller (Jericho), Yasin Choukri (Wilton, CT), Logan Comfort (Cazenovia), and Alex Lessman (Plainview/Plainview-Old Bethpage) tallied an assist apiece. Jordan Ott (Fort Worth, TX/Southwest Christian) recorded his fourth shutout in a row, making one save in goal.

Nolan Sullivan and Caleb Knowles each stopped six shots in a half of action for Canton, while Brandon Ardon had the lone shot on target for the Kangaroos.

Cortland wasted little time getting the scoring started, as Moretta netted his first goal of the year with a header into the top right corner of the net after Acosta's cross from a corner kick just 2:37 into the game.

Shultz scored three times in less than five minutes just past the quarter-hour mark to extend Cortland's lead to 4-0. Shultz slotted a shot into the bottom right corner of the net after a give-and-go with Comfort in the 17th minute. In the 19th minute, he intercepted a clearance attempt, and sent a shot into the center of the goal past the keeper. Shultz then completed his hat trick in the 21st minute, finishing into the bottom right corner of the net after one-touch passing between himself, Choukri, and Carroll.

Moretta headed another ball just over the goal line for his second goal in the 43rd minute, finishing off a set piece that was headed back to the center of the penalty area by Lessman off of Valenzuela Matic's free kick cross.

Carroll netted his first goal of the season in the 61st minute to make it 6-0, finishing off Acosta's cross from a corner kick with a right-footed shot into the top of the net. Ott made his only save of the game just minutes later to preserve the shutout, charging off his line to save Ardon's shot right as it was being kicked.

The Red Dragons hit the post twice, and Miller also saw his bicycle kick shot hit the top of the crossbar to deny three other scoring opportunities.

Valenzuela Matic dribbled past a defender and then sent a shot into the upper left corner to make it 7-0 in the 85th minute, and Regis completed the scoring in the 89th minute with a curling shot after a through ball from Miller.
 
Cortland 8, Canton 0
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Matt Shultz 3-0, Aaron Moretta 2-0, Josh Carroll 1-1, Matias Valenzuela Matic 1-1, Jordan Regis 1-0, Stalyn Acosta 0-2, Yasin Choukri 0-1, Alex Lessman 0-1, Jordan Miller 0-1, Logan Comfort 0-1
Canton: none

Halftime: Cortland 5, Canton 0
Shots: Cortland 40, Canton 2
Corner Kicks: Cortland 10, Canton 3
Fouls: Canton 12, Cortland 4
 
Saves: Jordan Ott (Cortland) 1 saves (0 GA in 90:00), Nolan Sullivan (Canton) 6 saves (5 GA in 45:00), Caleb Knowles (Canton) 6 saves (3 GA in 45:00)
Record after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 13-3-3, 6-1-1 SUNYAC; Canton (Kangaroos) 3-14-1, 0-8 SUNYAC