CORTLAND, N.Y. - With the spring season underway, the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) looks back at last year's women's lacrosse conference championship as the Cortland Red Dragaon's won its 19th straight title.
The Red Dragons faced the Golden Eagles of Brockport, at Brockport, in an early afternoon championship game. There is no doubt that Cortland had come into the game with a purpose as they opened with a 4-0 lead in just over seven and a half minutes into the game. By the half, the Golden Eagles had cut that lead to 5-3.
Throughout the first part of the second half the teams traded four goals back and forth, but the Red Dragons never lost their lead keeping a 7-5 advantage. Within a two-minute span late in the second half Cortland posted three goals building a 10-5 lead. Brockport's Hannah Cullen then attempted to cut that lead again putting up a point for the Golden Eagles, which was quickly answered by Cortland's Carly Stone for her fourth goal of the game.
Cortland would hold this lead until Brockport's Heather Conklin posted a last effort goal with 44 seconds remaining in the game. That goal was no match for the Red Dragons as Makenzie Annable put up one final goal with 31 seconds on the clock.
Some of the key players in this game for the Red Dragons included sophomore, at the time, Stone with four goals, seniors, at the time, Annable and Nicolette Tortorici with three goals a piece, as well as senior goalie, at the time, Jaclyn Beshlian who made a career-high 18 saves.
This win led the Red Dragons to go to the second round of the NCAA Division III women's lacrosse tournament where they lost in a close game to Messiah College, 13-14.
As the 2018 conference games get under way we can be sure that the Red Dragons look to defend the SUNYAC title for the 20th time in a row. The first conference games are set for March 31 and the SUNYAC women's lacross tournament will begin May 1.