CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Brenda Semit (Holland Patent) scored on a penalty stroke at the 50 minute, four second mark of the game and the nationally fifth-ranked Cortland field hockey team held on to defeat Hamilton College, 2-1, Tuesday afternoon at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. The Red Dragons improved to 4-0 with the victory, while the Continentals fell to 2-1.

Junior Danielle Hand (Whitney Point) scored Cortland's first goal of the game off an assist from Erin Smith (Greene). Senior goalie Ashley Hughes (Selden/Comsewogue) made four saves and allowed her first goal of the season.

Junior Erin McNally (Scotia/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) tallied the Continentals' goal. Senior Colleen Callaghan (Queensbury/Glens Falls) picked up an assist. Freshman goalie Molly Brooks (Florence, MA/Northampton) stopped five shots. Junior Catie Torvicia (Rumson, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven Regional) and sophomore Leah Cairns (Andover, MA) registered defensive saves.

Hand gave the Red Dragons the lead in the 12th minute when she one-timed a shot at the left post after Smith deflected sophomore Sara Woodward's (Pine Plains) cross from the right. Late in the first half, Hamilton pressured Cortland and was awarded a string of penalty corners. The Continentals eventually capitalized 2:27 before the half as McNally deflected Callaghan's long blast inside the left post on a give-and-go.

Neither team generated a quality chance early in the second half until the Red Dragons earned a penalty stroke at the 50:04 mark. Semit deposited a low shot inside the right post for her third goal of the season. The Continentals pressed for the tying goal and created a quality chance with 11:11 remaining, but Torcivia's deflection on a penalty corner went just wide right. 

Cortland 2, Hamilton 1

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Hamilton: Erin McNally 1-0, Colleen Callaghan 0-1 
Cortland: Danielle Hand 1-0, Brenda Semit 1-0, Erin Smith 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 1, Hamilton 1 
Shots: Cortland 14, Hamilton 12
Penalty Corners: Hamilton 11, Cortland 4
Saves: Molly Brooks (Hamilton) 5 (2 GA in 70:00); Ashley Hughes (Cortland) 4 (1 GA in 70:00)
Record after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 4-0 (ranked 5th in Div. III); Hamilton (Continentals) 2-1