CORTLAND, N.Y. – The top-seeded Cortland women's soccer team scored a pair of first-half goals and held on for a 2-1 victory versus fifth-seeded Oswego in the SUNYAC Semifinals Wednesday night at Grady Field. The game was moved from Holloway Field to the Stadium Complex due to inclement weather and field conditions.

The Red Dragons improved to 10-2-5 on the season and host second-seeded Brockport in the championship game Saturday at 11 a.m. The Lakers dropped to 6-4-7.

Senior Simone Neivel (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) and freshman Tyla Vuotto (Lynbrook) scored the goals for Cortland. Senior Bella Casucci (Smithtown/Smithtown West) and junior Katie Cosenza (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) each recorded an assist. Junior goalie Kristen Spendal (Dumont, NJ) made three saves, all in the second half.

Sophomore Amber McDermott (Washingtonville/Rock Tavern) tallied Oswego's goal with sophomore Courtney Key (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury) assisting on the score. Junior goalie Perri Anderson (Cornwall/Cornwall Local) registered three saves.

Cortland took a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute. Cosenza sent a clean across across the box to the left side, and Vuotto struck a shot that went of Anderson's hands and into the goal. Neivel netted what proved to be the game winner just over five minutes later. Graduate student Bryn Thompson (Hopewell Junction/Arlington) served a free kick into the box from the left side. The ball ended up near the end line on the right side where Casucci gained possession and slid a pass across the box that Neivel finished off with a one-time shot.

The first 20 minutes of the second half featured much of the play in the midfield until the Lakers broke through in the 71st minute. Key delivered a quick pass to the top of the box where McDermott drove a 20-yard shot into the upper right corner. From that point, Oswego pressured Cortland but could not generate a quality chance at the equalizer and the Red Dragons held on for the 2-1 win. 

Cortland 2, Oswego 1

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Oswego: Amber McDermott 1-0, Courtney Key 0-1
Cortland: Tyla Vuotto 1-0, Simone Neivel 1-0, Katie Cosenza 0-1, Bella Casucci 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 2, Oswego 0
Shots: Cortland 13, Oswego 7
Corner Kicks: Cortland 6, Oswego 3
Fouls: Cortland 8, Oswego 6
Saves: Perri Anderson (Oswego) 3 saves (2 GA in 90:00); Kristen Spendal (Cortland) 3 saves (1 GA in 90:00)

Record after game: Oswego (Lakers) 6-4-7; Cortland (Red Dragons) 10-2-5