CLINTON, N.Y. – Freshman Ashley Cook (Commack) scored four goals and junior Erin Kollar (East Islip) netted three goals as eighth-ranked Cortland knocked off second-ranked Hamilton College, 12-9, in a battle of top-10 Div. III teams. The Red Dragons improve to 5-1 on the season while snapping the Continentals' 38-game home-field winning streak. Hamilton, last year's NCAA Div. III runner-up and 2008 NCAA champion, last lost at home versus Union on April 22, 2006.

Junior Lindsay Abbott (South Onondaga/Onondaga Central) finished with two goals and five assists for the Red Dragons. With her seven points, she became the 10th player in school history to reach the career 200-point mark. Abbott has 140 goals and 64 assists for 204 points in two-plus collegiate seasons.

In addition for Cortland, sophomore Maria Di Fato (Camillus/West Genesee) added two goals and an assist and freshman Taylor Reh (Miller Place) finished with a goal and an assist. Sophomore goalie Ally Levy (Reisterstown, MD/Seton Keough) made 10 saves.

Hamilton (2-1) was led by sophomore Rachel Friedman's (Fairfield, CT) three goals and one assist. Junior Libby Schultz (Troy/Emma Willard School) added two goals and one assist and senior Sarah Bray (Rockville, MD/Connelly School of the Holy Cross) scored twice. Junior Sam Elie (Massapequa/Farmingdale) recorded two saves.

Cortland raced out to a 7-1 lead over the game's first 17 minutes. Cook scored three times and Di Fato tallied twice during that stretch, capped by Cook's goal with 13:35 left in the half. Schultz and Friedman scored the next two goals to cut the lead to 7-3, but Cook and Kollar answered with tallies to put Cortland up 9-3 with 2:25 left. Abbott's assist on Cook's goal was her 200th career point.

Hamilton lit the scoreboard twice in the final minute of the half, including a Bray goal with seven seconds left, to pull within 9-5 at halftime. The Continentals added a goal 1:46 into the second half and trailed 9-6.

Cortland, however, never let the hosts get any closer than three the rest of the way. Leading 10-7, the Red Dragons used goals by Abbott and Kollar to take a five-goal lead with 11:31 left. Hamilton goals with 9:51 and 6:54 remaining brought the margin back to three, but neither team scored after that. Cortland won despite being outshot, 28-20.

Cortland will travel to Ithaca on Saturday, March 26, for a 12 p.m. non-league game.


Cortland 12, Hamilton 9

Team                    1-2      Final
Cortland (5-1)       9-3      12
Hamilton (2-1)      5-4        9

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Ashley Cook 4-0, Erin Kollar 3-0, Lindsay Abbott 2-5, Maria Di Fato 2-1, Taylor Reh 1-1, Jordan Miller 0-1
Hamilton: Rachel Friedman 3-1, Libby Schultz 2-1, Sarah Bray 2-0, Hannah Hoar 1-1, Katie D'Antonio 1-0, Anne Graveley 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Ally Levy, 10 saves (9 GA in 60:00)
Hamilton: Sam Elie, 2 saves (12 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Hamilton 28, Cortland 20
Ground Balls: Hamilton 19, Cortland 15
Clears: Cortland 17-of-24, Hamilton 9-of-13
Draw Controls: Hamilton 12, Cortland 11
Caused Turnovers: Hamilton 9, Cortland 7
Turnovers: Cortland 18, Hamilton 17
Fouls: Hamilton 24, Cortland 19