SALISBURY, MD – Nationally 13th-ranked Cortland dropped a 7-1 decision on the road at nationally seventh-ranked Salisbury in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) field hockey contest on Friday afternoon. Cortland falls to 11-3 (2-2 SUNYAC), while Salisbury improves to 11-3 (4-0 SUNYAC).
Grace Esposito (Carle Place) scored the lone Cortland goal, assisted by
Sadie Hoffmann (Miller Place).
Sofia Cannistraci (Guilderland) made six saves in goal for the Red Dragons.
Salisbury was led by three goals from Alex Kupper, while Layla Kent provided three assists. Four other Sea Gulls netted a goal, and goalkeeper Maddie Castaneda registered five saves to earn the win.
The first quarter was scoreless, with both teams firing two shots on goal and both goalkeepers recording two saves. Cortland recorded the first shot on cage following a penalty corner with under nine minutes left, but Castaneda saved
Tori Peterson's (Whitney Point) shot. Hoffmann had her first shot attempt saved by the Salisbury keeper just two minutes later. Cannistraci came up with a pair of saves in quick succession of a penalty corner with under three minutes left in the frame.
The Sea Gulls struck first only 2:45 into the second quarter following a penalty corner, as Kent had a shot redirected by Kupper into the goal.
Peterson had Cortland's best opportunity to tie the game with under three minutes left in the half with a redirection in front, but Castaneda made a tremendous kick save to divert the ball away from the goal and keep Salisbury's lead into halftime.
The Red Dragons opened the third quarter with the first shot on goal, but Castaneda made a comfortable stop on a shot from just inside the circle by
Madison Oliver (Holland Patent). Less than a minute later, Cannistraci came up with a great save at the other end to deny Salisbury's Peyton Miller.
The Sea Gulls extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair of goals in just over four minutes of action midway through the period. Ryan Lowe knocked home a shot from the right side after a feed from Kent, and then Dakotah Trader fired a shot into the corner of the cage after a turnover in front of goal.
The Red Dragons pulled back to within two goals at 3-1 with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Gabriella Gemelli (Clinton) inserted a penalty corner to Hoffmann at the edge of the circle. Hoffmann dribbled a step inside the circle and ripped a shot that Esposito redirected into the back of the goal for her third goal of the season, and second straight game with a goal.
Early in the fourth quarter,
Bella Scionti (Ronkonkoma/Sachem North) registered a defensive save on a shot by Tessa Gray to keep Cortland within striking distance. However, the Sea Gulls netted two goals in just 63 seconds, one by Gray and another by Kupper off an assist from Kent, to take a 5-1 lead with 10:23 left.
Kupper completed her hat trick with 5:27 remaining after taking a pass in front of goal and dribbling around Cannistraci to make room to shoot for the goal into the bottom right corner of the cage. Salisbury wrapped up the scoring in the final minute, as Baylie Williamson found the back of the net following a penalty corner with 42 seconds left.
