FREDONIA, NY – The nationally 15th-ranked Cortland men's soccer team got first-half goals from Sam LaMendola (Buffalo/Williamsville South) and Shay Daly (Elwood/John Glenn), and earned a 2-1 victory on the road at Fredonia in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Wednesday evening. The Red Dragons improved to 9-1-4 (4-0-2 SUNYAC) on the year, while Fredonia dropped to 5-6-3 (2-4-0 SUNYAC).
 
LaMendola's goal was his fourth goal of the season, while Daly tallied for the third time on the year. Owen Brant (Loudonville/Shaker) tallied one assist, and Jordan Ott (Fort Worth, TX/Southwest Christian) turned aside two shots in goal for the victory.
 
Chance Lacroix scored the lone goal for the Blue Devils, and Thomas McDonald made six saves in goal for Fredonia.
 
Cortland controlled play in the early part of the contest, registering eight shot attempts in the opening 18 minutes and breaking through for the opener with just 17:57 off the clock. Brant fired a ball from the right side towards the middle of the field, and LaMendola was able to flick a looping shot over the head of the Fredonia keeper to make it 1-0.
 
The Red Dragons wasted little time adding a second goal, scoring in the 25th minute to make it 2-0. Daly netted an olimpico goal, curling a corner kick into the top right corner of the net without the ball touching another player.
 
Just seconds later, Fredonia was able to cut the Cortland lead in half on an unconventional goal. After a Fredonia foul gave the Red Dragons a free kick near midfield, there was confusion over who would take the free kick for Cortland. The ball was surprisingly ruled in play by the referee, and Lacroix stole the ball and dribbled in alone on goal to score.  
 
The Red Dragons nearly reestablished a two-goal edge in the 30th minute, but Dylan Pederson's (Earlswood, England/Reigate) header went off the crossbar.
 
Ott made his first save of the game in the 41st minute on a shot by Harrison McAneany, as Cortland kept its 2-1 edge into halftime.
 
The Red Dragons were able to record two shots on target in the second half, one in the 46thh minute by Jake Hutter (Smithtown/Smithtown West) and another by Josh Carroll (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) in the 66th minute, but both were saved by McDonald.
 
The Cortland defense allowed Fredonia to register just one shot on goal in the second half, a comfortable save by Ott on a free kick from near midfield in the 78th minute. Cortland kept possession for most of the final minutes to secure the win.