BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Cortland women's lacrosse team clinched the top seed in the upcoming SUNYAC playoffs with a 20-7 victory at Buffalo St. on Saturday afternoon. The Red Dragons improved to 11-4 overall and 8-0 in the conference with one league game remaining. The Bengals dropped to 6-8 and 2-6.

Mackenzie Beck (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) matched her career highs of seven points and six goals to lead the Red Dragon offense. Toni Cashman (East Moriches/Westhampton Beach) tallied four goals and an assist, and Amy Hoeffner (Bay Shore) recorded two goals and an assist.

Rachel Janis (Laurel Mattituck) established career highs with nine points and eight assists for the Red Dragons. Her eight assists tied the single-game program record accomplished three times prior. Rachel Rempe (Aquebogue/Riverhead) netted a pair of goals. Nicole Iapoce (Clintondale/Highland), Julie Kadletz (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River), Lauren McCulloch (Loudonville/Shaker), Morgan Brace (Brewster) and Emma Dempsey (Brewerton/Paul V. Moore) each scored a goal.

Margaret Morgan (New Fairfield, CT) started in goal for Cortland, making two first-half saves. Trinity Parks (Binghamton/Chenango Forks) stopped one shot in the second half. Hoeffner secured 12 draw controls, Kadletz added three ground balls and two caused turnovers and Amanda Squillini (Stony Point/North Rockland) scooped up three ground balls.

Emilee Josker paced Buffalo St. with four goals and an assist. Sarah Fineour, Lauren Rinow and Vanessa Willick each netted a goal. Sage Running Rabbit collected two assists.

Moira Penot started in the cage, making two saves in 12:22. Brielle Lum stopped four shots in 47:38. Willick won six draws, and Anastacia Wells caused two turnovers.

Cortland opened up a 3-0 lead five minutes into the game and steadily pulled away. The Red Dragons led, 8-2, after the first quarter with Beck scoring five of her goals, including four straight, and stretched their lead to 15-3 at the half. Janis collected six of her assists in the opening 30 minutes. Cortland outscored Buffalo St., 3-2, in the third quarter, and the teams split four goals in the fourth quarter for the 20-7 final.

Cortland 20, Buffalo St. 7

Team                    1-2-3-4       Final
Cortland                8-7-3-2          20
Buffalo St.             2-1-2-2            7

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Mackenzie Beck 6-1, Toni Cashman 4-1, Amy Hoeffner 2-2, Rachel Rempe 2-0, Rachel Janis 1-8, Nicole Iapoce 1-0, Julie Kadletz 1-0, Lauren McCulloch 1-0, Morgan Brace 1-0, Emma Dempsey 1-0
Buffalo St.: Emilee Josker 4-1, Sarah Fineour 1-0, Lauren Rinow 1-0, Vanessa Willick 1-0, Sage Running Rabbit 0-2

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Margaret Morgan, 2 saves (3 GA in 30:00), Trinity Parks, 1 save (4 GA in 30:00)
Buffalo St.: Moira Penot, 2 saves (8 GA in 12:22), Brielle Lum, 4 saves (12 GA in 47:38)

Shots: Cortland 30, Buffalo St.11 
Ground Balls: Cortland 13, Buffalo St. 6
Clears: Cortland 10-of-12, Buffalo St. 7-of-14 
Draw Controls: Cortland 22, Buffalo St. 8
Caused Turnovers: Cortland 6, Buffalo St. 4
Turnovers: Buffalo St. 22, Cortland 17

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 11-4, 8-0 SUNYAC; Buffalo St. (Bengals) 6-8, 2-6 SUNYAC