UTICA, N.Y. –  Senior Liz Athing (Bay Shore) scored the game-winning goal with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation, and senior Meg Redmond (Accord/Rondout Valley) made the second of her two defensive saves four and a half minutes later to preserve the lead as the Cortland field hockey team earned a 2-1 win at Utica Sunday afternoon on non-conference action.

Senior Anna Branch (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) notched her seventh goal of the season for the Red Dragons (9-3) and assisted on Athing's game winner. Junior goalie Kailynne Reinoehl (Lititz, PA/Warwick) registered nine saves.

Madison Williams scored for the Pioneers (6-6), and Josie Sgarlata collected an assist. Goalie Samantha Whitehouse turned aside seven shots.

After a scoreless first half in which Cortland outshot Utica, 8-2, Branch gave the Red Dragons a 1-0 lead at the 44:41 mark with a 10-yard shot that beat Whitehouse through the pads. Less than three minutes later, Redmond kept the Pioneers off the scoreboard with her first defensive save of the game. Williams tied the game, however, at 57:23 with a deflection at the left post.

Athing tallied her second game winner of the season two minutes later when she re-directed a pass from Branch inside the right post. Redmond then helped save the game with her second defensive stop at the 63:54 mark as the shot would prove to be the last in the game for Utica.

Cortland 2, Utica 1

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Anna Branch 1-1, Liz Athing 1-0
Utica: Madison Williams 1-0, Josie Sgarlata 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 0, Utica 0
Shots: Utica 13, Cortland 11
Penalty Corners: Utica 9, Cortland 8
Saves: Kailynne Reinoehl (Cortland) 9 (1 GA in 70:00); Samantha Whitehouse (Utica) 7 (2 GA in 70:00)

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 9-3; Utica (Pioneers) 6-6