CORTLAND, NY – Anna McCarthy (Bay Shore) netted her first collegiate goal for the game-winning goal, and Emma Morgan (Whitney Point) stopped nine shots in goal for the shutout, as the Cortland field hockey team earned a 1-0 victory over William Smith on Stadium White on Saturday afternoon. Cortland improves to 3-4 on the year, while William Smith drops to 5-3.
 
Morgan's nine saves, including a save on a penalty stroke, were her most in a game this season on the way to her second shutout on the year. McCarthy's goal came on her only shot attempt of the game. Sadie Hoffmann (Miller Place) led the Red Dragons with three shots on goal in the contest.
 
Olivia Terranova made six saves in goal for the Herons, while Mia Batchelder led William Smith with three shots on target. Hadley Harbert also made a defensive save for William Smith.
 
In the opening minutes of play, Morgan was called into action to make back-to-back saves on shots by Batchelder and Abby Jones to keep the game scoreless. Those were the only shots on target of the frame as the game stayed 0-0 after a quarter of play.
 
Cortland started to control possession in the second quarter, including holding the Herons without a shot attempt in the period. However, Cortland could not hit the target on either of its shot attempts in the period.
 
The game began to open up in the third quarter, with the Red Dragons having eight shots and the Herons having four shots in the period. Hoffmann was stopped on a blast from the top of the circle on an insert from a penalty corner just three minutes into the quarter, and Morgan made a save on a nearly identical chance for William Smith a few minutes later.
 
With 8:43 remaining in the quarter, the Herons were awarded a penalty stroke with the chance to take the lead, but Caroline Kogut's shot was stopped with a lunging save by Morgan to her left. 
 
In the final minute of the quarter, Cortland took the lead after a penalty corner. The ball was worked around the circle to Lillian Morse (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), who sent a bouncing shot towards goal. The ball made its way past Terranova and was heading for the left corner of the goal, but was stopped for a defensive save by Harbert. McCarthy was the first to react for the Red Dragons, knocking the rebound into the back of the cage with 26 seconds left in the quarter.
 
In the opening minute of the fourth quarter, Morgan made a stellar diving save to deny William Smith's leading goal scorer Rebecca Mantione in front of goal.
 
Cortland attempted to push forward for an insurance goal, but a shot by Claire Flanagan (Greene/Greene Central) was stopped by Terranova with 11 minutes left.
 
With 4:08 remaining in regulation, William Smith was given a great opportunity to equalize after a green card on the Red Dragons, but Morgan made a save on a shot by Batchelder with just under four minutes remaining.
 
The Cortland defense was able to keep the Herons from recording a shot over the remainder of the contest, including a solid defensive play by Ruby Hasbrouck (Northport) to win possession of the ball with 1:20 remaining and an excellent intervention in the final minute by Emma Rice (Greene/Greene Central) to secure the victory.
 


Photo of Emma Morgan as she saves a penalty stroke in the third quarter (EDL Photography)