Portillo Ties Game with First Goal but Scots Fall at Cornell

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (10/09/2024) — The Monmouth College men's soccer team scored an equalizer with just over 12 minutes to play but couldn't keep up with Cornell late in a 3-1 road loss on Wednesday. The Fighting Scots (2-7-2, 0-2-1) return home to face Illinois College next Tuesday.

The first 45 minutes were scoreless with Monmouth out-shooting the hosts 5-2. Alejandro Zamarripa (El Paso, Texas) made one save in goal for the Scots in the first half.

Kristofer Ruiz-Camarena (El Paso, Texas) forced a save out of the Rams keeper in the 62nd minute but the game remained tied. The shot was the game-leading third of the match for Ruiz-Camarena at that point.

Cornell took the lead on a controversial play in the 70th minute. The Rams kicked the ball out of the hands of Zamarripa and into the net for a 1-0 lead. Logan Corgan (Geneseo, Illinois) put a shot on goal from a long distance free kick but the Rams keeper caught it before the Scots could put a head to the ball.

In the 78th minute the Scots got even. The ball was sent into the box from the right side, flicked into the air and Omar Portillo (El Paso, Texas) finished with an acrobatic goal, the first of his collegiate career.

Cornell took the lead on penalty kick in the 81st minute after the offsides flag stayed down on a very close play. The Rams put the game away with a goal in the 87th minute.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Treyton Yi (Streamwood, Illinois) played all 90 minutes for the 11th straight game ... Zamarripa also played all 90 minutes ... Zamarripa made one save ... .Ruiz-Camarena finished with four shots ... Monmouth used 20 players in the gameShots were 10-7 in favor of Monmouth ... Monmouth leads the all-time series 31-22-7 with a 2-1 win last season at home ... The Scots play back at home on Tuesday with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Illinois College