CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 12, 2021) – Freshman forward Matt Shultz collected a hat trick and the SUNY-Cortland men's soccer team put on an impressive performance to capture the championship of the 20th annual Cialella Soccer Classic here Sunday with a 4-1 victory over Rutgers University-Camden.
 
In the opening game, Catholic University stunned Stockton University, 2-1 in double overtime, after tying the game late in the second half.
 
Shultz captured Offensive MVP honors for the tournament, while senior back Ian Blugh was named the Defensive MVP for Cortland. They joined teammates Scott Cebollero and Blake Aronson on the All-Tournament Team.
 
Rutgers-Camden finished as the tournament runner-up, placing sophomore goalie Connor Smith, senior midfielder Christian McCartney and sophomore back Quincy Attobrah on the all-tourney team.
 
Catholic placed third, with Darius Siahpoosh and Paul Egan named all-tourney, while Stockton placed Dante Montesinos and Max Bond on the Cialella Soccer Classic team.
 
Rutgers-Camden (3-1-1) returns to action Wednesday with a 7 p.m. game at Cabrini University.
   
The Red Dragons (3-1-1) received a goal in the sixth minute by Shultz, assisted by Anthony Ruggiero, to take a 1-0 halftime lead. He scored off a long pass to the top left side of the box at 5:55.
 
After the break, Shultz assisted on a goal by Blake Aronson at 56:32, then nailed down his hat trick within a span of 2:01 with goals at 58:42 and 60:43. Jack Coleman assisted on the first goal and Ruggiero assisted the final tally.
 
Rutgers-Camden scored its lone goal at 74:58 on a long restart by junior back Billy Melnick, who drilled a shot inside the far left post. It was his first career goal with the Scarlet Raptors.
 
The Red Dragons held an 8-5 advantage in shots and a 6-4 margin in corner kicks, but were constantly putting pressure on the Scarlet Raptors. Smith made one save in the Rutgers-Camden goal, while freshman Sean Boen played the final 23:01 without a save or goal allowed. For Cortland, junior keeper Braden Melveney made one save in 79:16, while senior Wilber Blanco made two saves in the final 10:44.
   
Stockton (2-4) scored only 4:27 into the game on a penalty kick by Ervin Gjeli after Peter Kozlej was tripped just inside the top of the penalty area. The Ospreys hung onto that lead until 87:13, when Catholic's Gordie Bernlohr scored off a scramble in the box from a corner kick.
 
In the second overtime, Bernlohr crossed from the left side to the top of the box where Egan was open for the game-winning goal. He scored only 1:29 into the second overtime period for the Cardinals (3-1).
 
Catholic held a 10-6 advantage in shots and Stockton had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks. Stockton keeper Dino Gromitsaris made two saves, while Catholic goalie Austin Coron had one.