On the opening day of SUNYAC women's soccer play, SUNY Oneonta came up short to rival SUNY Cortland 1-0.  The win for Cortland kept them unbeaten at 4-0-3 overall while the loss dropped Oneonta to 0-6-1 overall.
 
Oneonta outshot Cortland 11-5 in the match, but an early goal for the visitors proved to be the difference.
 
Cortland's goal came in the sixth minute off a rebound that Oneonta freshman goalie Alexis Ryder (Rotterdam/Schalmont) couldn't get to after making the initial stop.  Brenna Conover was there to pounce on the rebound after Siobhan Swayne cranked a shot from inside 10 yards that was saved by Ryder, but the deflection got away.  Swayne charged in and hammered the ball to the back of the goal.
 
Oneonta came right back less than a minute later and generated a scoring chance on back-to-back shots by juniors Nicole Donadio (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) and Jess Downin (Franklin/Franklin Central).  Donadio's shot was saved by starter Danika Svendsen, but the rebound went out of bounds giving Oneonta a corner kick.
 
Senior Emily Opalinski (East Amherst/Williamsville East) sent a perfect ball to the front of the goal that Downin headed.  Unfortunately, the ball bounced off the cross bar and away where the defense cleared it out of the box.
 
Later in the half, senior Laura Rolston (New City/Clarkstown South) had a header that Svendsen had to make a diving save on keeping Oneonta off the scoreboard.
 
A lot of play in the midfield in the second half with Oneonta sustaining most of the pressure.  Oneonta put five shots on the board only two that were on target.  Abby Miller came in at halftime and made a pair of stops to preserve the shutout for Cortland.
 
Oneonta will be home again tomorrow when they play Oswego on Red Dragon Field beginning at 1pm.