FREDONIA, N.Y. - Senior Tara Monaghan (Stony Point/North Rockland) matched her career high with eight goals and the nationally top-ranked Cortland women's lacrosse team broke away from a tight game at the half to earn a 19-9 win at Fredonia Saturday afternoon in the SUNYAC opener for both teams. The Red Dragons improved to 9-0 on the season, and the Blue Devils dropped to 4-5.

Senior Nicole Bello (Camillus/West Genesee) added three goals for Cortland, sophomore Hannah Elmer (Syracuse/West Genesee) tallied two goals and one assist and senior Elizabeth LaComb (Syracuse/West Genesee) and freshman Carly Stone (Syracuse/Jamesville-DeWitt) each netted a pair of goals. Senior Ashley Gentile (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) contributed one goal and one assist, senior defender Colleen Wright (Huntington Station/Huntington) scored her first career goal and junior Makenzie Annable (Navarino/Onondaga) recorded two assists.

Junior goalie Jaclyn Beshlian (Wantagh) registered 13 saves for the Red Dragons. Monaghan secured six draw controls and Gentile recorded four ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Kristie Kleine paced Fredonia's offense with two goals and two assists. Audrey Yokopovich totaled two goals and one assist, Smantha Spiess and Katie Miller each scored twice and Jade Williams added a goal.

Goalie Nicole Burrows made eight saves and scooped up a game-high five ground balls, while Yokopovich won five draws and caused two turnovers.

The game remained tight throughout the first half with neither team able to gain more than a one-goal lead until Cortland grabbed a 7-5 advantage at the half with a three-goal run capped by Elmer's goal at 1:32. Monaghan scored five of her goals in the opening 30 minutes for the Red Dragons.

Cortland stretched its lead to 10-5 at the 19:42 mark as it opened the second half with three straight goals. The Blue Devils scored three of the next five goals, two from Kleine, to keep within striking distance at 12-8 with 14:02 remaining. The Red Dragons, however, closed the game with a 7-1 run as Monaghan, Bello and LaComb each scored twice for the 19-9 final.
   
Cortland 19, Fredonia 9

GAME SUMMARY:

Team               1-2       Final
Cortland          7-12        19
Fredonia         5-4            9

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Tara Monaghan 8-0, Nicole Bello 3-0, Hannah Elmer 2-1, Carly Stone 2-0, Elizabeth LaComb 2-0, Ashley Gentile 1-1, Colleen Wright 1-0, Makenzie Annable 0-2    
Fredonia: Kristie Kleine 2-2, Audrey Yokopovich 2-1, Samantha Spiess 2-0, Katie Miller 2-0, Jade Williams 1-0   

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Jaclyn Beshlian, 13 saves (9 GA in 60:00)
Fredonia: Nicole Burrows, 8 saves (19 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Cortland 31, Fredonia 29 
Ground Balls: Fredonia 15, Cortland 12 
Clears: Cortland 10-of-11, Fredonia 8-of-8
Draw Controls: Fredonia 16, Cortland 13 
Caused Turnovers: Cortland 6, Fredonia 6 
Turnovers: Fredonia 14, Cortland 10

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 9-0, 1-0 SUNYAC (ranked 1st nationally in Div. III); Fredonia (Blue Devils) 4-5, 0-1 SUNYAC