Cornell men’s soccer picked up a dramatic 1-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara on Friday night at Harder Stadium. Junior forward Liam May netted the decisive goal in the 88th minute, the first of his collegiate career, to lift the Big Red past the Gauchos.
The match was physical from the start, with five yellow cards issued in the opening half. Both teams generated chances but remained deadlocked at halftime behind strong defensive play and steady goalkeeping. Cornell’s Ryan Friedberg recorded three saves, securing his 16th career shutout and second straight clean sheet, moving him closer to the program’s record.
As time dwindled, May capitalized on a late push when Colin Johnson and Sergio Zapata combined to set him up for the game-winner. UC Santa Barbara, which entered the week receiving votes in the preseason coaches’ poll, pressed for an equalizer in the closing minutes but could not break through.
The win extended Cornell’s all-time series lead over UCSB to 3-0 and provided an early boost for its RPI profile.
The Big Red (1-0) continues its California trip on Monday against UC Irvine, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].