WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Cortland men's soccer team finished the 2024 season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday evening, as Messiah advanced on penalty kicks, 4-3, following a 1-1 tie between the squads. Cortland ends the year with a 15-3-6 record, while Messiah moves to the second round with a 14-5-2 record.
 
Josh Carroll (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) scored Cortland's goal, while Mateo Marra (Ossining) recorded an assist. Jordan Ott (Fort Worth, TX/Southwest Christian) made three saves in regulation, and also made one save in the penalty kick shootout.  
 
Ekow Yankah scored Messiah's goal, and Jarec Morlote provided the assist. Adam Carter made four saves for the Falcons, while also making two saves in the penalty shootout.
 
Each team had one shot on goal in the opening 30 minutes, with the goalkeepers making a save apiece to keep the game scoreless.
 
Messiah struck first in the 38th minute, as Morlote played a ball on the ground to Yankah, who struck a right-footed shot from the right side into the bottom right corner of the net. The Falcons held the 1-0 advantage into halftime.
 
Cortland equalized in the 78th minute off a free kick from near midfield, as Marra sent a cross into the box, and Carroll directed a header into the upper left corner of the net to make it 1-1. Cortland forced Carter to make three more saves in regulation, while Ott stopped a shot with one second remaining to send the game into overtime.
 
Early in the first overtime, each team had a shot go wide of the net, and the sides did not find the target until a shot in the final seconds of the second overtime was saved by Ott.
 
In penalty kicks, Cortland scored three of its first four attempts, as Marra, Carroll, and Matias Valenzuela Matic (Santiago, Chile/Northwood School) each found the back of the net. Messiah also scored three of its first four shots, with Ott making one save as well. After a save by Carter on Cortland's fifth shot, Morlote scored on Messiah's fifth attempt to send the Falcons to the second round on Sunday.
 
 
Messiah 1, Cortland 1 (Messiah advances on penalty kicks, 4-3)
 
Messiah 1, Cortland 1 (Messiah advances on penalty kicks, 4-3)
Scoring Summary (goals-assists)
Cortland: Josh Carroll (1-0), Mateo Marra (0-1)
Messiah: Ekow Yankah (1-0), Jarec Morlote (0-1)
 
Shots: Messiah 15, Cortland 13
Corners: Messiah 8, Cortland 5
Fouls: Cortland 18, Messiah 11
 
Saves: Jordan Ott (Cortland) 3 saves (1 GA in 110:00), Adam Carter (Messiah) 4 saves (1 GA in 110:00)