Score: #19 SUNY Cortland 5 – Elmira College 0
Records: SUNY Cortland (1-0), Elmira (0-1)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
Pine Valley, NY – The Elmira College field hockey team opened the 2015 campaign on Tuesday afternoon, as it welcomed nationally ranked SUNY Cortland to the Murray Athletic Center. The 19^th-ranked Red Dragons jumped out to an early lead and were able to stymie the Elmira attack the majority of the afternoon to deal the Soaring Eagles an opening day defea by the final score of 5-0.
 
SUNY Cortland blitzed Elmira in the opening 10 minutes, launching five shot attempts and tallying three times to jump out to an early lead, prompting an early timeout from Soaring Eagles head coach Lauren Silva. The squad responded well, holding one of the nation's most potent offenses to just two more goals over the final 61:53 of the contest.
 
Trailing 4-0 at the half, EC seemed to really grow into the game in the second session. The Soaring Eagles began to generate chances, firing five shots after the break after being held to just one shot in the opening 35-minutes.
 
The defense also was rock solid in the second half, holding the Red Dragons to just five shots on target after allowing nine in the opening half. SUNY Cortland was able to add its fifth and final tally with just six seconds remaining in the contest.
 
Turning Point
After the two squads traded possession in the midfield over the opening few minutes, SUNY Cortland's Jessica Welsh sent the first test on Elmira keeper Julie Hockenberger '18. Although she made an excellent stop on the initial shot, Megan O'Brien was able to shovel the rebound past Hockenberger to get the Red Dragons on the board. SUNY Cortland would go on to add two more goals – on tallies from Welsh and Gabby Stein – over the next 3:39 to take firm control of the contest.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Cortland outshot Elmira 25-to-6 for the contest, but only led 12-to-5 in shots in the second half.
• Elmira's first shot came with 5:30 remaining in the opening half, as Kristy Haskell '19 launched the Soaring Eagles first shot on goal after a penalty corner insert from Sarah McCaffrey '18.
• Cortland held a 10-to-3 advantage in penalty corners in the contest.
• Matilda Kennedy-Butler '19 led the Soaring Eagles with four shot attempts and two shots on target.
• Cassidy Genco registered a defensive save in the 56^th minute.
• Elmira led 9-to-3 in saves in the contest.

 
News and Notes

• Hockenberger got the start in goal for the Soaring Eagles. The second year made several sparkling saves, finishing with five saves and four goals allowed. She ceded the cage to Mikayla Rebusmen '17 to begin the second half. The junior made three saves and allowed a single goal in the second session.
• The newcomers had an immediate impact for the Soaring Eagles in their collegiate debuts. Kennedy-Butler and Haskell both got starting nods, while Diane LeRoy '19 also saw significant time in the contest. Kennedy-Butler and Haskell combined for five of Elmira's six total shot attempts and all three shots on goal.
• Alli Gilbert '16 almost tallied her first of the season in the 42^nd minute, but her backhand shot drifted just wide, hitting the side of the cage.
• Elmira had a chance to get back into the game with 44^th minute, as Cortland's Alexa Sanzone was whistled for a yellow card for hauling down Elmira's Atu Machika on a quick counter attack, giving the Soaring Eagles a player up for the next five minutes. Unfortunately, they could not capitalize on the chance, failing to record a shot with the player advantage.
• Cortland now owns a 4-0 edge in the all-time series.

 
Up Next
Elmira will have a quick turnaround, as the squad will be back in action tomorrow evening when it hits the road for the first time this season to take on SUNY Geneseo. Start time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.