CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally 24th-ranked Cortland women's lacrosse team built a 9-1 lead at the half en route to a 15-5 victory versus Plattsburgh Saturday afternoon in the SUNYAC opener for both teams. The Red Dragons improved to 3-4 and 1-0, while the Cardinals dropped to 1-4 and 0-1.

Senior Lauren Hopsicker (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) led Cortland with three goals and three assists. Senior Hannah Keech (Penn Yan/Penn Yan Academy) tallied three goals and one assist. Graduate student Hannah Lorenzen (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) and sophomore Toni Cashman (East Moriches/Westhampton Beach) each recorded two goals and two assists, and senior Shelby Meduski (East Quogue/Westhampton Beach) also netted two goals. Senior Amy Hoeffner (Bay Shore), junior Rachel Janis (Laurel/Mattituck) and freshman Gabby Meager (Syracuse/West Genesee) scored one goal apiece.

Graduate student goalie Paige Potter (Cortland) registered three saves. Lorenzen added three draw controls and two caused turnovers, sophomore Julie Kadletz (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) finished with three ground balls and two caused turnovers, junior Madelyn Czyz (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) secured four draws and Hopsicker won three draws.

Junior Lindsay Guzzetta (East Islip) scored four goals to lead Plattsburgh. Junior Emma McLaughlin (Northport) netted a goal, and freshman Rachel LaMar (Ballston Lake/Shenendehowa) chipped in with an assist.

Three goalies played for the Cardinals.  Senior Alexa Cassidy (Warwick/Warwick Valley) earned the start, making four saves in 23:01. Sophomore Johanna Malone (Levittown/Division Avenue) stopped two shots in 15:46, and junior Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, CA/El Toro) did not record a save over the final 21:13.

Cortland led just 2-1 late in the first quarter when Meduski and Hopsicker scored goals inside the last minute to make it a 4-1 game. The Red Dragons pulled away by outscoring Plattsburgh, 5-0, in the second quarter. Cashman and Hopsicker each scored twice and Keech netted a goal.

Keech, Hoeffner and Meduski opened the scoring in the third quarter to increase Cortland's lead to 12-1. Guzzetta closed the quarter with her second goal, and McLaughlin scored to begin the fourth quarter, cutting the Red Dragons lead to 12-3. Lorenzen, Janis and Meager strung together three goals in just over four minutes to push Cortland's advantage to 15-3 with 6:12 to play. Guzzetta completed the scoring with back-to-back goals for the 15-5 final.

Cortland 15, Plattsburgh 5

Team                 1-2-3-4       Final
Plattsburgh        1-0-1-3            5
Cortland             4-5-3-3          15

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Plattsburgh: Lindsay Guzzetta 4-0, Emma McLaughlin 1-0, Rachel LaMar 0-1
Cortland: Lauren Hopsicker 3-3, Hannah Keech 3-1, Toni Cashman 2-2, Hannah Lorenzen 2-2, Shelby Meduski 2-0, Amy Hoeffner 1-0, Rachl Janis 1-0, Gabby Meager 1-0

Goalkeepers:
Plattsburgh: Alexa Cassidy, 4 saves (7 GA in 23:01), Johanna Malone, 2 saves (5 GA in 15:46), Lilla Nease, 0 saves (3 GA in 21:13)
Cortland: Paige Potter, 3 saves (5 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Cortland 30, Plattsburgh 14
Ground Balls: Cortland 15, Plattsburgh 12
Clears: Cortland 16-of-17, Plattsburgh 13-of-17
Draw Controls: Cortland 14, Plattsburgh 9
Caused Turnovers: Cortland 7, Plattsburgh 5
Turnovers: Plattsburgh15, Cortland 9

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 3-4, 1-0 SUNYAC (ranked 24th nationally in Div. III); Plattsburgh (Cardinals) 1-4, 0-1 SUNYAC