GENEVA, N.Y. – Junior Maria Di Fato (Camillus/West Genesee) scored five goals and assisted on two others and senior Lindsay Abbott (South Onondaga/Onondaga Central) added four goals and three assists as nationally second-ranked Cortland defeated host William Smith College, 20-6, in a non-league matchup.

The Red Dragons won their eighth straight game and are now 9-1 on the season The Herons drop to 3-4 with the loss.

Di Fato matched her career single-game high with seven total points, all in the first half. Senior Erin Kollar (East Islip) amassed three goals and one assist, while junior Gina Campese (East Syracuse/East Syracuse-Minoa) and junior Laura Edward (Blue Point/Bayport-Blue Point) scored two goals each. Freshman Marilyn Farrell (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) dished out three assists and junior goalie Shauna Hutchinson (Islip Terrace/East Islip) made nine saves.

Rosie Scheibel (Auburn) scored two goals and Katie Sipple (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) finished with a goal and an assist for William Smith. Maggie McNair (Wilmette, IL/Loyola Academy) recorded 14 saves.

William Smith held an early 2-1 lead 7:30 into the first half on Scheibel's two goals. The Red Dragons regained the lead at 3-2 with 18:20 left in the half on goals by Di Fato and Jordan Miller (Liverpool) 31 seconds apart, but the Herons knotted the game when Katie Dexter (Bedford/Fox Lane) found the net with 16:40 remaining.

Cortland took control with a 6-0 run over the next 13 minutes to go ahead 9-3. Abbott scored three times and assisted on a goal and Di Fato registered a goal and two assists during that run. William Smith's Lucy Johnson (Short Hills, NJ/Millburn) briefly halted the streak when she scored with 3:39 left, but the Red Dragons rattled off five straight goals, two by Di Fato, and led 14-4 at halftime.

Cortland's defense then held the Herons to just one goal in the first 29 minutes of the second half. For the game, the Red Dragons caused 11 of William Smith's 27 turnovers. Sophomore Jessica Lavelle (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) finished with three caused turnovers and four ground balls and Di Fato had two caused turnovers and a team-high six ground balls. Di Fato and Abbott also won three draw controls each.

The Red Dragons return to action at home on Saturday, April 7, versus SUNYAC foe Buffalo State at noon.


Cortland 20, William Smith 6

GAME SUMMARY:
Team                           1-2      Final
Cortland (9-1)             14-6      20
William Smith (3-4)     4-2       6

Scoring (Goals-Assists):

Cortland: Maria Di Fato 5-2, Lindsay Abbott 4-3, Erin Kollar 3-1, Gina Campese 2-0, Laura Edward 2-0, Jordan Miller 1-0, Taylor Robinson 1-0, Taylor Reh 1-0, Mary Hartzeim 1-0, Marilyn Farrell 0-3, Taylor Harney 0-1, Liz Beville 0-1

William Smith: Rosie Scheibel 2-0, Katie Sipple 1-1, Lucy Johnson 1-0, Katie Dexter 1-0, Megan Robson 1-0, Kathryn Gillan 0-1, Kathleen Ragan 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Shauna Hutchinson, 9 saves (6 GA in 60:00)
William Smith: Maggie McNair, 14 saves (20 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Cortland 41, William Smith 24
Ground Balls: Cortland 26, William Smith 22
Clears: Cortland 12-of-17, William Smith 6-of-12
Draw Controls: William Smith 18, Cortland 10
Caused Turnovers: Cortland 11, William Smith 9
Turnovers: William Smith 27, Cortland 14
Fouls: William Smith 29, Cortland 19