Posted: Nov 06, 2019
CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Sara Reardon (Little Falls) scored with 5:52 left in the second overtime period to give second-seeded Cortland a 2-1 victory over third-seeded New Paltz in the SUNYAC Field Hockey tournament semifinals. The Red Dragons (16-3) advance to the finals at top-seeded Geneseo on Saturday, Nov. 9, at a time to be announced.
Cortland extended its school record with its ninth overtime game of the season, and the Red Dragons have won all nine of those contests. New Paltz, which also lost to Cortland in overtime in the regular season, wraps up the season with a 10-8 record. The Hawks were the defending league champion.
Cortland senior goalie Marisa D'Amico (Smithtown/Smithtown West) made 11 saves, including four in the first overtime period. New Paltz goalie Mackenzie Mortimer finished with 10 saves, including three in the fourth quarter. Cortland scored on its only shot of either overtime period.
Lily Fox (Northport) gave the host Red Dragons a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the game when she knocked in a rebound after Mortimer stopped a shot by Reardon. The Hawks tied the game with 30 seconds left in the first on a redirection by Natasia Plunkett on a ball hit by Jessica Ascencao.
Cortland had a prime opportunity to take the lead with less than two minutes left in the second quarter when the Red Dragons were awarded a penalty stroke, but Mortimer turned away the attempt to keep the game tied.
The winning goal resulted from a Cortland's first penalty corner of overtime. Reardon controlled the ball and sent a pass to Hannah Burchell (Whitney Point), who returned a pass to Reardon on the right side. Reardon dribbled into the circle and ripped a shot that deflected off a New Paltz defender's stick and went into the cage for her fourth goal of the season.
Cortland advances to the SUNYAC finals for the third straight year. The Red Dragons lost at New Paltz in last year's finals and beat New Paltz at home in the 2017 championship game.
Cortland 2, New Paltz 1 (2 OT)
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
New Paltz: Natasia Plunkett 1-0, Jessica Ascencao 0-1
Cortland: Sara Reardon 1-0, Lily Fox 1-0, Hannah Burchell 0-1
Halftime: Cortland 1, New Paltz 1
End of Regulation: Cortland 1, New Paltz 1
Shots: Cortland 18, New Paltz 16
Penalty Corners: Cortland 11, New Paltz 9
Saves: Mackenzie Mortimer (New Paltz) 10 saves (2 GA in 74:08); Marisa D'Amico (Cortland) 11 saves (1 GA in 74:08)
Record after game: New Paltz (Hawks) 10-8), Cortland (Red Dragons) 16-3