CORTLAND, N.Y. – Rachel Janis (Laurel/Mattituck) matched her career high with seven points on two goals and a career-best five assists to lead the nationally 24th-ranked Cortland women's lacrosse team to a 14-5 non-conference victory versus Utica University Wednesday afternoon in windy and rainy conditions at Grady Field.

Toni Cashman (East Moriches/Westhampton Beach) netted a game-high five goals for the Red Dragons (2-0). Amy Hoeffner (Bay Shore) scored three goals, Mackenzie Beck (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) tallied two goals and an assist, Ashley Melillo (Massapequa) recorded a goal and an assist, Natalie Bennett (Latham/Shaker) scored her first career goal and Nicole Iapoce picked up an assist.

Goalie Margaret Morgan (New Fairfield, CT) stopped three shots, recorded three ground balls and caused a turnover for Cortland. Hoeffner added four draw controls and three caused turnovers. Isabel Adams (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) finished with a game-high four ground balls and caused three turnovers. Iapoce chipped in with three ground balls and two caused turnovers, Beck added three ground balls and Julie Kadletz (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) contributed two ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Grace Stuhlman led the Pioneers (0-2) with three goals, six draws and two caused turnovers. Maria Stuhlman finished with a goal and an assist as well as two caused turnovers. Kerry Carr netted a goal, and Samantha DeCondo collected an assist.

Goalie Makayla Purdy registered six saves and two ground balls. Aana Blaszka scooped up three ground balls, while Alyssa Pisano contributed two ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Cortland jumped out to a 4-0 lead 6:15 into the game as four different players netted goals. After Grace Stuhlman ended the run with her first goal at 5:31 of the opening quarter, Cashman and Hoeffner closed the first 15 minutes of play with goals to make it a 6-1 game. The teams then traded five goals in the second quarter as the worst of the weather set in with Beck finishing the scoring in the first half with just over a second on the clock to give the Red Dragons a 9-3 lead at the break.

Carr scored for the Pioneers, and Beck and Hoeffner each notched goals for Cortland in the third quarter. Grace Stuhlman's third goal early in the fourth quarter pulled Utica to within11-5, but Cashman scored twice and Bennett netted her goal for the 14-5 final. 
 
Cortland 14, Utica 5
 
Team                  1-2-3-4       Final
Utica                   1-2-1-1            5
Cortland              6-3-2-3          14
 
Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Utica: Grace Stuhlman 3-0, Maria Stuhlman 1-1, Kerry Carr 1-0, Samantha DeCondo
Cortland: Toni Cashman 5-0, Amy Hoeffner 3-0, Rachel Janis 2-5, Mackenzie Beck 2-1, Ashley Melillo 1-1, Natalie Bennett 1-0, Nicole Iapoce 0-1
 
Goalkeepers:
Utica: Makayla Purdy, 6 saves (14 GA in 60:00)
Cortland: Margaret Morgan, 3 saves (5 GA in 60:00)
 
Shots: Cortland 29, Utica 13
Ground Balls: Cortland 25, Utica 15
Clears: Cortland 16-of-22, Utica 11-of-17
Draw Controls: Cortland 12, Utica 10
Caused Turnovers: Cortland 16, Utica 12
Turnovers: Utica 27, Cortland 21

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 2-0 (ranked 24th nationally in Div. III); Utica (Pioneers) 0-2