POTSDAM, N.Y. - Senior Tara Monaghan (Stony Point/North Rockland) tallied five goals and one assist as the nationally top-ranked and defending Div. III national champion Cortland women's lacrosse team opened up its season with a 15-5 win against Clarkson at SUNY Potsdam Saturday afternoon.

Junior Kristen Ohberg (Brewster) recorded two goals and one assist, and senior Ashley Gentile (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) netted a pair of goals for the Red Dragons. Senior Nicole Bello (Camillus/West Genesee) and sophomore Hannah Elmer (Syracuse/West Genesee) each registered one goal and two assists, while juniors Nicolette Tortorici (Deer Park), Kaitlin Antelmi (Bridgeport/Chittenango) and Makenzie Annable (Navarino/Onondaga) and freshman Carly Stone (Syracuse/Jamesville-DeWitt) scored one goal apiece.

Junior goalie Jaclyn Beshlian (Wantagh) made six saves in 56:12 before giving way to junior Victoria Fusco (Watertwon/Immaculate Heart), who stopped the only shot she faced in 3:48. Gentile secured a game-high eight draw controls, Bello forced two turnovers and Monaghan and Ohberg each collected two ground balls.

Taylor Collins led the Golden Knights (0-1) with two goals, Christine Wright tallied one goal and one assist, Ashley Flick and Kate Dillon each scored a goal and Stephanie Lynch added an assist.

Samantha Gladd started in the cage, making 11 saves in 38:44. Carrie Yurkon played the final 21:16, stopping three shots. Collins won four draws, Hanna Gleason recorded two ground balls and Emma Jeffery caused two turnovers.

Cortland raced out to a 4-0 lead 8:38 into the game as Monaghan scored twice and Ohberg and Elmer each netted a goal. Dillon and Wright scored back-to-back goals to make it a 4-2 game, but the Red Dragons closed the half with the final four goals, two from Gentile and one each from Monaghan and Ohberg, for an 8-2 lead at the break.

Cortland quickly pushed its lead to 13-2 with a five-goal run in 8:41 to open the second half. Antelmi, Annable and Bello each tallied a goal and Monaghan capped the flurry with a pair of scores. From that point, the two teams traded the last five goals for the 15-5 final as Tortorici scored off an assist from Elmer and Stone recorded her first career goal. 

Cortland 15, Clarkson 5

GAME SUMMARY:

Team               1-2 Final
Cortland           8-7  15
Clarkson          2-3    5

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Tara Monaghan 5-1, Kristen Ohberg 2-1, Ashley Gentile 2-0, Nicole Bello 1-2, Hannah Elmer 1-2, Nicolette Tortorici 1-0, Kaitlin Antelmi 1-0, Makenzie Annable 1-0, Carly Stone 1-0, Allyson McNerney 0-1 
Clarkson:Taylor Collins 2-0, Christine Wright 1-1, Ashley Flick 1-0, Kate Dillon 1-0, Stephanie Lynch 0-1 

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Jaclyn Beshlian, 6 saves (5 GA in 56:12), Victoria Fusco, 1 save (0 GA in 3:48)
Clarkson: Samantha Gladd, 11 saves (13 GA in 38:44), Carrie Yurkon, 3 saves (2 GA in 21:16)

Shots: Cortland 38, Clarkson 17 
Ground Balls: Cortland 10, Clarkson 4 
Clears: Cortland 8-of-11, Clarkson 9-of-16
Draw Controls: Cortland 11, Clarkson 11 
Caused Turnovers: Cortland 9, Clarkson 6 
Turnovers: Clarkson 17, Cortland 8

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 1-0 (ranked 1st nationally in Div. III); Clarkson (Golden Knights) 0-1