POTSDAM, NY – The Cortland women's soccer team earned a 3-0 road win at Potsdam behind goals from three different Red Dragons and a strong defensive performance that did not allow a shot attempt on Saturday afternoon in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play. Cortland improves to 9-3-2 (5-0-1 SUNYAC), while Potsdam drops to 4-7-3 (2-3-1 SUNYAC).
Tyla Vuotto (Lynbrook) and
Gianna Cirilla (Pattersonville/Schalmont) each finished with a goal and an assist for the Red Dragons, while
Dana Scruggs (Bethpage) also scored a goal.
Piper Klammer (Mahopac) and
Cassia Schuyler (Cincinnatus) provided an assist apiece for Cortland, and
Olivia Rouse (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) played the full 90 minutes for her third solo shutout of the year.
Caroline Vines registered 13 saves in goal for Potsdam.
Vuotto opened the scoring for the Red Dragons with her eighth goal of the season in the eighth minute. Schuyler delivered a cross from a corner kick into the middle of the 18-yard area, and Vuotto was able to outjump a Potsdam defender and direct a header into the right corner of the goal.
The Red Dragons extended their lead to 2-0 in the 16th minute. Cirilla dribbled down the right side around a Potsdam defender. As she reached the end line, the sophomore slid a pass towards goal, where Vuotto flicked the ball over to the left post to Scruggs, who sent a left-footed shot into the top left corner of the goal for her first goal of the year.
Cortland maintained its two-goal advantage into halftime, with the Red Dragons holding a 16-0 advantage in shot attempts and a 5-0 edge in shots on target.
Cortland controlled possession and fired 19 more shot attempts in the second half, including 11 shots on goal. In the opening 25 minutes of the second half, Vines made five saves to stop the Red Dragons from adding to their lead.
In the 72nd minute, Cirilla's team-high 11th goal of the year gave Cortland the final 3-0 scoreline. Klammer picked up the ball on the Cortland side of midfield and dribbled through a pair of Potsdam players in the Bears' midfield. Klammer then slid a pass to the edge of the right side of the box to Cirilla, who launched a shot into the top left corner of the goal.
Over the final minutes, Cortland forced Vines into making five more saves, and the Cortland defense continued to prevent the Bears from posing any offensive threat, to secure the victory for the Red Dragons.
With the win, Cortland officially clinched a berth in the SUNYAC tournament. With one victory in the final two conference games against Morrisville and Plattsburgh, the Red Dragons can secure the SUNYAC West title and a top-two seed in the conference tournament.
