Courtesy of Cortland Sports Information Department
CORTLAND, NY - Junior Chris Cesario (Old Bridge, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) scored with 55 seconds remaining in the second half as the Stevens men's soccer team completed a late second-half comeback and defeated nationally 15th-ranked Cortland, 2-1, Sunday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Division III men's soccer tournament. The Red Dragons ended their season at 16-4, while the Ducks improved to 13-6-2 and advance to the third round.
Junior Dan Figarella (East Fishkill/John Jay East Fishkill) scored his second goal of the season for Cortland. Senior goalie Connor Young (Bayport/Bayport-Blue Point) made one save and concluded his career ranked third all-time with 20 shutouts.
Freshman Cristiano Hocken (New Providence, NJ) registered a goal and an assist, and senior Tommy Dorsay (South Brunswick, NJ) chipped in with an assist for Stevens. Junior goalie Aaron Henry (Fayetteville, AR) stopped four shots.
After a scoreless first half in which the teams only combined for eight shots and created no quality scoring chsnces, Figarella gave the Red Dragons a 1-0 lead in the 68th minute. After a Stevens foul, Figarella bent a 31-yard free kick inside the right post.
Hocken tied the game in the 76th minute. Dorsay delivered a serve from the left side to the right post where Hocken one-touched a shot past Young. Then with time winding down, the Ducks struck for the game winner as Cesario sent a clean header into the goal at the right post after Hocken crossed the ball from the left side. Cortland had one final chance at the equalizer, but Henry punched sophomore Miguel Tunas' (North Salem) free kick from 33 yards over the crossbar right before the final horn.
Stevens 2, Cortland 1
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Stevens: Cristiano Hocken 1-1, Chris Cesario 1-0, Tommy Dorsay 0-1
Cortland: Dan Figarella 1-0
Halftime: Cortland 0, Stevens 0
Shots: Cortland 15, Stevens 10
Corner Kicks: Cortland 2, Stevens 2
Fouls: Cortland 19, Stevens 16
Saves: Aaron Henry (Stevens) 4 (1 GA in 90:00); Connor Young (Cortland) 1 (2 GA in 90:00)
Records after game: Stevens (Ducks) 13-6-2; Cortland (Red Dragons) 16-4 (ranked 15th in Div. III)
Click here for interactive 2017 NCAA Division III men's soccer bracket
