CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland let an early 6-1 lead slip away and the nationally 22nd-ranked Red Dragons lost their season opener, 16-12, at home to 19th-ranked Ithaca. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was moved to Sunday due to the weather.

Lexie Meager (Syracuse/West Genesee) led Cortland with five goals. Kiki Meager (Syracuse/West Genesee) and Hannah Lorenzen (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) scored two goals each, while Cecilia Procopio (Syracuse/West Genesee) and Brie Yonge (Penn Yan/Penn Yan Academy) each finished with a goal and two assists. Paige Potter (Cortland) made 10 saves.

Ithaca (3-0) was led by Jacqui Hallack's four goals and Megan Motkowski's three goals and two assists. Alexa Ritchie scored three goals, Katie Welch finished with two goals and an assist, and Madison Boutureira added two goals. Mackenzie Shade registered five saves.

Ithaca led 1-0 four minutes into the game on a goal by Ritchie, but Cortland rattled off six straight goals in less than an eight-minute span from the 18:58 mark to the 11:36 mark to take a five-goal lead. (Lexie) Meager scored three of those goals and Procopio had a goal and two assists during that run.

The guests responded by scoring nine of the last 10 goals of the first half, starting with a Motkowski tally with 10:18 left, to take a 10-7 halftime lead. Hallack scored three of her four goals during that streak. Three times in the first 16 minutes of the second half Cortland scored to cut its deficit to two, but each time the Bombers responded. The Red Dragons were no closer than three goals over the final 10 minutes.

Cortland will travel to Union College for a 4:30 p.m. non-league game on Tuesday.

Ithaca 16, Cortland 12

Team                       1-2       Final
Ithaca                        10-6          16
Cortland                   7-5            12

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Ithaca:  Jacqui Hallack 4-0, Megan Motkowski 3-2, Alexa Ritchie 3-0, Katie Welch 2-1, Madison Boutureira 2-0, Bailey Herr 1-0, Caroline Grant 1-0, Indira Varma 0-1
Cortland:  Lexie Meager 5-0, Kiki Meager 2-0, Hannah Lorenzen 2-0, Cecilia Procopio 1-2, Brie Yonge 1-2, Hannah Keech 1-0, Molly Newton 0-2, Katie Goodrich 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Ithaca: Mackenzie Shade, 8 saves (12 GA in 60:00)
Cortland: Paige Potter, 11 saves, (16 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Ithaca 30, Cortland 25
Ground Balls: Ithaca 22, Cortland 14
Clears: Cortland 19-of-23, Ithaca 18-of-21
Draw Controls: Cortland 17, Ithaca 13
Caused Turnovers: Ithaca 9, Cortland 7
Turnovers: Cortland 23, Ithaca 14

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 0-1 (ranked 22nd nationally in Div. III); Ithaca (Bombers) 3-0 (ranked 19th nationally in Division III)