HIGH POINT, N.C. – In a meeting of two fast-paced offenses, the Cornell men's soccer program earned its first victory in 661 days on Tuesday afternoon, defeating High Point University by a final score of 4-1. Fifth year midfielder Tyler Bagley earned a brace, scoring goals in each half to lead the Big Red.
 
Cornell (1-1-0) out-shot the Panthers 18-14 overall and 12-7 in shots on goal. Bagley recorded a team-high seven shots (four on goal) to pace an offense that played hard for all 90 minutes.

"Overall it was a great weekend for the guys, especially considering the number of inactive months and the fact that we in the Ivy League have ten fewer days of preseason than the rest of Division I," Head Coach John Smith said. "To outshoot Wake forest, hit the woodwork three times, and ultimately lose in double OT with nine men, our guys could have used every excuse coming into today's game against a team with an extra days rest."
 
Cornell's offense blitzed the Panthers early and often throughout the first half. Senior Emeka Eneli connected with Bagley in just the 5th minute of action to give the Big Red a 1-0 lead. Eneli's pass found Bagley inside the 18 for his first goal of the season. Bagley showcased his goal-scoring prowess throughout the summer scoring 12 goals for the Boston Bolts in USL League 2.
 
Eneli tallied his second assist of the afternoon when he and junior Brandon Morales pin-balled passes to fifth year Harry Fuller, who scored from the top of the 18. Morales drew the start up front on Tuesday, replacing Charles Touche in the lineup.
 
Cornell extended its advantage to 3-1 in the 37th minute when freshman Alioune Ka dribbled past High Point goalkeeper Ricardo Ceballos for his first career goal. Ka nearly found his second goal of the game in the 41st minute after a Bagley corner kick reached the head of sophomore Mateo Rodriguez. Ceballos was unable to corral the ball following Rodriguez's header, allowing Ka a second chance at the goal. Ceballos made another strong save to prevent the Big Red from extending its lead even further.
 
High Point's second team All-American MD Myers did his best to keep the Panthers in the game early, tying the game at 1-1 in the 8th minute. Caco Fernandez stole a Cornell throw in and dished a downfield pass Myers who placed a ball between the legs of junior goalkeeper Brady McSwain. Myers was a menace in front of the goal all game, recording three shots on goal.
 
McSwain later made a crucial stop on the doorstep of the Big Red's net in the 25th minute, stopping a Myers shot that would've tied the game at two apiece. After conceding an early goal, McSwain turned in an impressive performance between the posts making a career-high five saves.
 
Tuesday's second half started much slower than the first with each team getting just one good look at the goal each in the first 15 minutes. Cornell's defense stymied the High Point attack, allowing no shots on goal over the final 24 minutes of action.
 
Instead it was the Big Red that continued to add to its goal tally when Bagley scored his second goal of the game in the 87th minute. After a pass from Morales, Bagley kept his defender and the goalkeeper off balance before firing a shot towards the right side of the net. Morales and Eneli each finished Tuesday's contest with a pair of assists.

"The great thing was, from first to last whistle the group played on their front studs," Smith said. "In doing so, we created a number of very good chances and managed to craft four very good goals. Overall, this was a great trip for the group, both on and off the field."
 
A two-assist game marks a career-best for both Morales and Eneli, with Eneli matching his season-high in just one match. With a pair of goals on Tuesday Bagley set a new career-high in single season goals scored. Drawing his first career start for the Big Red was junior defender Cam Maquat, who was joined by sophomore Kisa Kiingi and freshman Brennan Mallett in making their collegiate debuts.

Up Next: Cornell returns home for its first home stand of the season on Friday, Sept. 10 when it meets Saint Joseph's University at 7 p.m. at Berman Field.

Assistant director of athletic communications Austin Overmann is in his 3rd year as his office's primary contact for the team. He can be reached at ao437@cornell.edu.
 
Starting XI:
 
GK: Brady McSwain
D: Connor Drought
D: Cam Maquat
D: Mateo Rodriguez
D: Jonah Kagen
M: Tyler Bagley
M: Harry Fuller
M: Wilson Eisner
M: Lalo Serrano
F: Emeka Eneli
F: Brandon Morales