CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally 14th-ranked Cortland field hockey team earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Div. III playoffs with a 2-1 victory versus New Paltz Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the 2023 SUNYAC Field Hockey Tournament. The Red Dragons improved to 17-1 with the win. The Hawks fell to 14-5.

The NCAA pairings will be announced during a selection show that will air Sunday, Nov. 5, at 10:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Junior Hanna Corrigan (Barneveld/Holland Patent) and tournament MVP junior Gianna Trunfio (Clinton) scored Cortland's goals. Juniors Sydney Reinisch (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) and Isabel Adams (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) recorded assists. Sophomore goalie Emma Morgan (Whitney Point), who received the SUNYAC Elite 20 Award, made five saves.

Sophomore Miranda Britton (Sayville) scored New Paltz's goal with sophomore Angelina Regels (Scotia/Scotia-Glenville) assisting. Sophomore goalie Gail Comiskey (Patchogue) turned aside three shots.

Corrigan gave Cortland an early lead, scoring on a long blast from just inside the circle on a penalty corner at the 4:30 mark. That proved to be the lone goal of the half as Cortland took the 1-0 lead into intermission.

Trunfio made it a 2-0 game with her team-high 19th goal of the season at 41:15. Adams fed a cross from the right side deep to the middle of the circle where Trunfio swept a one-time shot past Comiskey. In the fourth quarter, the Hawks turned up the pressure, outshooting the Red Dragons, 6-0, and it eventually paid off when Britton converted Regels' pass with a one-time shot at the left post. New Paltz continued to press, looking for the tying goal, but Cortland was able to hold off the Hawks and maintain possession late in the game to seal the 2-1 win.

Joining Trunfio on the all-tournament team for Cortland were Corrigan, senior Madison Rice (Greene) and junior Keirra Ettere; from New Paltz were senior Hanna Ackerman (Nesconset/Smithtown East), junior Amanda Quenneville (Centerport/Harborfields) and sophomore Meghan Gunning; from Brockport were Kelsey Zehr and Ella Buchanan; and from Geneseo were Olivia Hernick and Katrina Clare.
  
Cortland 2, New Paltz 1 
 
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists): 
New Paltz : Miranda Britton 1-0, Angelina Regels 0-1
Cortland: Hanna Corrigan 1-0, Gianna Trunfio 1-0, Sydney Reinisch 0-1, Isabel Adams 0-1
 
Halftime: Cortland 1, New Paltz 0 
Shots: New Paltz 16, Cortland 8
Penalty Corners: New Paltz 11, Cortland 9
Saves: Gail Comiskey (New Paltz) 3 saves (2 GA in 60:00); Emma Morgan (Cortland) 5 saves (1 GA in 60:00)
 
Record after game: New Paltz (Hawks) 14-5; Cortland (Red Dragons) 17-1 (ranked 14th nationally in Div. III)