| Box Score (PDF)
 
ITHACA, N.Y. – Men's soccer broke out in a big way Saturday evening at Berman Field, putting together its best performance of the season in a 5-0 rout of Buffalo. The victory was the team's fourth straight, as the team is a perfect 4-0-0 through the first four games of its season long five-game home stand.
 
Senior center back Devin Morgan netted the game-winner, his second game-winning goal in as many games, in the 16^th minute off a corner kick. Senior right back Peter Chodas took the set piece, delivering a perfect cross from the right corner to the near post. Morgan rose to meet it, nodding the ball to the far corner past Bulls keeper Waleed Cassis.
 
That was only the beginning for Cornell (W, 6-2-1), as the team tickled the twine four more times in the contest. Sophomore transfer Stevin Bienfait potted two goals, his first tallies as a member of the Big Red. Senior Conor Goepel added his fifth of the season, while sophomore Vincent Brunetti also found the back of the net to close out the scoring on the evening.
 
Senior keeper Zach Zagorski got the victory, making four saves in the contest. He was relieved by fellow senior Ian Panzica in the 64^th minute, who closed out the shutout over the final 27:28. It was the team's fourth straight shutout on the home stand; the Big Red has still yet to concede a goal in five home contests this season.
 
While the Big Red offense struggled to get untracked earlier this season, it has seemingly turned a corner over the home stand. It looked its finest on Saturday, executing crisp passes with blistering pace and pin-point accuracy. The Big Red outshot Buffalo 13-9 in the contest.
 
Cornell wasted little time after striking for the early lead. As Buffalo (L, 2-7-0) pressed for the equalizer, the Big Red struck on the counter attack. Sophomore JJ Black intercepted a pass in the defensive third and filtered it quickly to midfielder Tommy Griffin. The freshman took a couple touches, before moving the ball on the right wing to Chodas, who stepped into it sending a long ball up the pitch. Bienfait charged after it, putting pressure on the Bulls backline. The effort paid off, as miscommunication between the keeper and defender resulted in an easy tap in goal for Bienfait in the 30th minute, the first of his Big Red career.
 
Cornell struck once more before the half, again coming off a corner. Chodas again had a hand in the tally, marking a natural hat-trick of assists in the opening 45-minutes. He sent a devilish cross into the box. Sophomore Sebastian Scales got a flick on the ball, steering it towards midfielder Conor Goepel. The Big Red's leading scorer had no trouble with this one, calmly lacing a howitzer into the left corner to give Cornell a 3-0 lead in the 44^th minute. The goal was the fifth of the season.
 
The 15-minute intermission for halftime did little to cool off the Big Red attack, as it added another in the 52^nd minute. Pressuring Buffalo as it attempted to play out of the back, the Bulls turned the ball over in the middle of the field. Goepel picked off the pass, setting up a two-on-one with Bienfait. The senior drew the keeper before feathering a pass to Bienfait for the easy tap-in into the wide open net for his second goal of the game.
 
Cornell capped the scoring in the 65^th minute. Senior Tyler Conway made a spectacular run up the right flank, eluding a defender as he entered the box. He delivered a perfect pass back to Brunetti in the high slot. The sophomore laced it hard and low, just inside the left post for his first of the season.
 
The five goal outburst was a season high for the Big Red in 2014. It was the most goals scored and largest margin of victory for Cornell, since a 5-0 victory at Binghamton in 2012.
 
With the three-point night, Goepel moved just two-point shy of joining the program's top-15 list for points. He has 13 points this season and 40 for his Big Red career. His 44^th minute goal was the 17^th of his career, moving all-alone into 14^th place on the program's all-time list.
 
Cornell will look to carry the momentum from its final non-conference tune-up into the opening weekend of Ivy League play. The Big Red will conclude its five-game home stand next Saturday, as it welcomes Penn for a 4 p.m. kick at Berman Field.