Rivalries in sports would be nothing without proximity, close games, and drama. On Wednesday night, Cortland and Fred Holloway Field were treated to a scoreless yet engaging battle between two fairly equal teams in record. The second home game of the season for the nationally 9th-ranked Cortland Men’s Soccer team hosted their longtime rival, Ithaca College Bombers. Photo Credit: EDL Photography
After beginning the season 5-1, with most matches being on the road, Cortland hosted game number two at home on T. Fred Holloway Field. Ithaca, being 5-0, served as a respectable opponent for the Red Dragons. Period one began with an early opportunity for Cortland to score with a shot by forward Owen Brant which was saved by Ithaca goalkeeper Bryson Shaull. As the game got into a flow, physicality was apparent. Midway through the first half, both teams were given yellow cards involving Cortland defender Sam Lamendola and Ithaca defender Ryan Myles.
Both teams were offensively challenged and struggled to gain advantages and score points. It was a defensive match to say the least. As the period came towards an end, Cortland had two opportunities to take the lead going into the half. One quick shot by Jake Hutter towards the bottom center of the goal, and another missed shot by Josh Carroll. The Red Dragons had a strong defensive first half, led by Jordon Ott, who finished the game with five total saves. The first half would end scoreless, leaving plenty of room for improvement from both teams. A large home crowd was eager for second-half excitement.
Coming into the second, both teams needed to put numbers on the board after a scoreless first period of play. Both teams came out with an aggressive mindset; each had five shots on goal, which only led to missed opportunities to take a lead. Ithaca put themselves in a prime position to score at the 84-minute mark with a curling shot by Jack Carney that just missed the right side of the goal. As the 90th minute came near, the intensity on the field amped up, and the home crowd was desperate for a goal. Cortland had a great opportunity in their final attempt with a play between Cortland forwards Owen Brant and Josh Carroll. Brant would send a cross to Carroll for a header, but it ended up being missed towards the left side of the goal. As the game came to a close, tensions rose, which led to a Cortland player being on the ground in a battle for possession of the ball. It ended up being a no-call from the referees, and the clock began to run out. After the clock ran out, a scuffle was initiated between Ithaca’s Jack Carney and Cortland’s Aidan Miller. Carney was given a red card for his actions after the play, and Miller was given a yellow.
The final stats of the game for Cortland included, five saves for Goalkeeper Jordan Ott, and 13 total shots for the team, with 4 shots on goal. Cortland will look to win big against Scranton on Saturday, September 20th, and get back in the win column after an entertaining, but yet scoreless outing on Wednesday.