CLINTON, N.Y. – Colby College scored the game's final four goals, including Anne Geraghty's (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) game-winning tally with 4:37 remaining, as the nationally ninth-ranked Mules defeated fifth-ranked Cortland, 10-9, in the NCAA Div. III second round at Hamilton College.

Senior Jess Fritz (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) finished with three goals and two assists for Cortland, which finishes the season 17-3. The Red Dragons were making their 12th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and have advanced to at least the second round each of those years.

Kate Pistel (Amherst, MA/Suffeld Academy) led Colby (15-4) with three goals and two assists. Casey Thomas (Needham, MA) scored three goals and Lane McVey (Bronxville/Choate Rosemary Hall) added two goals for the Mules, who advance to the national quarterfinals for the first time and will play undefeated and nationally top-ranked host Hamilton Sunday at 1 p.m. Sarah Warnke (Lakeville, CT/Westminster) made five saves in goal.

Sophomore Kelly Radigan (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) totaled two goals and two assists, sophomore Lindsay Abbott (South Onondaga/Onondaga) had two goals and one assist and sophomore Erin Kollar (East Islip) scored twice for Cortland. Freshman Ally Levy (Reisterstown, MD/Seton Keough) registered three saves.

Cortland trailed 6-4 with four minutes left in the first half, but goals by Radigan and Kollar, the latter as time expired, tied the game at 6-6 at halftime. The Red Dragons continued their run by scoring the first three goals of the second half – tallies by Abbott, Fritz and Kollar – and Cortland led 9-6 with 16:02 remaining.

Thomas scored with 12:53 left and Pistel found the net only 46 seconds later to draw Colby within 9-8. A McVey goal, assisted by Geraghty, knotted the game with 7:29 left and Geraghty netted the go-ahead goal off a Caroline Atwater (Catonsville, MD/Roland Park Country Day) assist, her third assist of the game, less than three minutes later.

Cortland won the ensuing draw control but turned the ball over with 3:54 left. The Red Dragons got the ball back with 3:23 left when Antonia Cianfrocco (Chittenango) forced a turnover. Cortland called timeout with 2:47 left and then successfully cleared the ball, but Colby's Lexi Crook (South Burlington, VT) caused a turnover with 1:12 left. Colby cleared the ball and successfully ran out the clock to secure the win.


Link to NCAA Tournament Bracket Page


NCAA Div. III Second Round
Colby 10, Cortland 9

GAME SUMMARY:

Team                       1-2      Final
Cortland (17-3)        6-3      9
Colby (15-4)            6-4      10

Scoring (Goals-Assists):

Cortland: Jess Fritz 3-2, Kelly Radigan 2-2, Lindsay Abbott 2-1, Erin Kollar 2-0
Colby: Kate Pistel 3-2, Casey Thomas 3-0, Lane McVey 2-0, Anne Geraghty 1-1, Amy Campbell 1-0, Caroline Atwater 0-3, Claire Donegan 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Ally Levy, 3 saves (10 GA in 60:00)
Colby: Sarah Warnke, 5 saves (9 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Colby 20, Cortland 18
Ground Balls: Colby 15, Cortland 13
Clears: Colby 13-of-15, Cortland 13-of-16
Draw Controls: Colby 10, Cortland 10
Caused Turnovers: Colby 7, Cortland 7
Turnovers: Colby 15, Cortland 14
Fouls: Cortland 25, Colby 22