CORTLAND, NY – Piper Klammer (Mahopac) scored three times as the top-seeded Cortland women's soccer team cruised to a 5-0 victory over fourth-seeded Buffalo State in the semifinals of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament on Wednesday evening on Holloway Field. Cortland moves to 13-2-4, while Buffalo State finishes the season at 8-7-5.
 
Cortland will host second-seeded Plattsburgh in the conference championship game on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Cardinals defeated Fredonia, 2-1, in the other semifinal on Wednesday afternoon. The winner of the championship game will earn the conference automatic qualifier into the NCAA Div. III playoffs. This will be the seventh consecutive season that Cortland is appearing in the conference championship game.
 
Klammer's three goals came on a team-high seven shot attempts and four shots on goal. Katie Diem (Fairport) and Leah Rehm (East Syracuse/East Syracuse-Minoa) both scored a goal for the Red Dragons. Dana Scruggs (Bethpage) and Sage Luke (Scenectady/Scotia-Glenville) both provided an assist for Cortland.
 
Olivia Rouse (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) made two saves in goal for Cortland for her 12th solo shutout of the season, which ranks second nationally. The Cortland defense also recorded a 14th straight shutout, and extended its streak of not conceding a goal to 1,284:11.
 
Addy Williams made eight saves in goal for the Bengals, while Emily Maczka registered both of Buffalo State's shots on goal.
 
In the opening minute of play, Rouse was called into action to make a comfortable save on a shot by Maczka from just outside the 18-yard area.
 
Cortland had one of its best opportunities to take the early lead in the 12th minute after a great pass with the outside of her right foot by Klammer to Gianna Cirilla (Pattersonville/Schalmont), but Cirilla's shot rolled just wide of the left post.
 
Just three minutes later, Maia Allard (Castleton/Columbia) made a perfectly-timed slide tackle to stop a potential break for the Bengals inside the Cortland penalty area.
 
Klammer broke the deadlock in the 36th minute with her third goal of the season. The junior was first to react to a bouncing ball after a lofted pass from midfield by Scruggs. Klammer collected the ball, turned, and dribbled through a pair of Buffalo State defenders, before sending a low shot into the corner of the net.
 
Cortland held a 1-0 edge into halftime, and had a 17-3 advantage in shot attempts in the first half.
 
Cortland scored twice in the opening eight minutes of the second half to begin to pull away, as the weather worsened to a torrential downpour early in the second half.
 
After a handball by a Buffalo State defender inside the box on a high cross from Scruggs, Diem doubled the Cortland lead by blasting her spot kick into the back of the net, her third penalty kick goal in three attempts this season.
 
Shortly after, Diem made a strong defensive play to stop a Buffalo State break down the left side of the field. Cortland quickly transitioned back to the attack, with Scruggs lofting a pass down the right side, where Klammer picked up the ball and sprinted towards the goal to net her second goal of the game in the 53rd minute.
 
Klammer completed her hat trick in the 64th minute, finishing off a rebound from the right side of the net after Williams had made a strong save on a shot by Luke to the left.  
 
Maczka had Buffalo State's second and final shot on goal in the 76th minute, which Rouse once again comfortably collected. Rehm completed the scoring for the Red Dragons with her third goal of the year in the 83rd minute, stealing the ball from a Buffalo State defender, driving down the right side, and firing a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.