Strong Second Half Leads Men's Soccer Past Elms

CHICOPEE, Mass. -- The Mitchell College men's soccer team picked up its first New England Collegiate Conference victory of the season on Saturday afternoon, defeating Elms College by a 4-2 final at Leary Field.

Julian Cortez supplied a pair of goals, including the game winner, as the Mariners improved to 2-9-1 overall (1-2-0 NECC) and remained in the hunt for a conference postseason bid. Christian Urena and Carl Wilson also netted goals in the contest, and the Mitchell defense limited Elms to just two shots on goal.

Urena got the Mariners off to a strong start, scoring 44 seconds into the contest on an individual effort. However, the lead lasted less than four minutes as Elms' Jose Ulloa evened the score on a penalty kick. 

Cortez's first goal of the game came in the 15th minute and put Mitchell on top once again. The Blazers pulled even for the second time in the half as Baba Jaden equalized in the 33rd minute, and the teams went into the halftime intermission locked at 2-2.

In the second half, an Elms player drew a red card in the 63rd minute that resulted in a Mitchell penalty kick. Cortez converted the attempt for his second tally of the game and his team-leading third of the season. 

With the Blazers playing a man down for the final 27 minutes, the Mariners tacked on an insurance goal in the 78th minute to go up 4-2. Wilson did the honors for Mitchell, notching his first career goal off a feed by Chad-Wayne Hopkins.

Mitchell will next host Becker College on Wednesday, October 23 at 3:30 p.m.