CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Megan O'Brien (Carmel) scored a pair of first-half goals, and the Cortland field hockey team held on for a 2-1 victory versus Oneonta Friday afternoon in SUNYAC action. The host Red Dragons improved to 12-3 overall with their seventh consecutive win and moved into a tie for first place in the conference standings with Oneonta at 4-1. The visiting Red Dragons fell to 12-3 overall.

Junior Jess Gibaldi (Westbury/W.T. Clarke) assisted on O'Brien's second goal. Junior goalie Kailynne Reinoehl (Lititz, PA/Warwick) made four saves in posting the win.

Sophomore Alise Anson (Stone Ridge/Rondout Valley) tallied Oneonta's goal with freshman Colleen Geyer (West Nyack/Clarkstown South) assisting. Sophomore goalie Danell Jones (Whitney Point) registered seven saves.

Cortland controlled much of the play in the opening half, outshooting Oneonta, 8-1. O'Brien gave the host Red Dragons the lead at the 20:28 mark when she buried a rebound after Jones made a diving save on senior Anna Branch's (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) deflected shot from the right side. Moments later, Cortland received a five-minute yellow card but was able to hold Oneonta from generating any quality scoring chances. O'Brien made it a 2-0 game 1:44 before the half. Gibaldi carried down the left side, worked the ball just inside the circle and fired the ball at the cage where O'Brien managed a deflection that eluded Jones.

Oneonta turned the tables in the second half, holding a decisive edge in possession and penalty corners (9-0). The visiting Red Dragons eventually made one of the corners pay off at 52:29. After junior Allyson Bilow (Webster/Webster Thomas) inserted the ball, Geyer fed a pass into the circle where Anson spun and deposited a shot inside the left post.

Five minutes later, Cortland had a player sent off for two minutes with a green card, but, again, Oneonta could not capitalize. Upon returning to full strength on the field, the host Red Dragons managed the next four shots in the game. Oneonta's final chance came off senior Sierra Palmatier's (Afton) stick with 2:17 to play, but Reinoehl easily turned away the high shot to seal the win.

Cortland hosts New Paltz on Saturday at 1 p.m. with a chance to secure the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament.    

Cortland 2, Oneonta 1

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Oneonta: Alise Anson 1-0, Colleen Geyer 0-1
Cortland: Megan O'Brien 2-0, Jess Gibaldi 0-1

Halftime: Cortland 2, Oneonta 0
Shots: Cortland 15, Oneonta 8
Penalty Corners: Oneonta 9, Cortland 6
Saves: Danell Jones (Oneonta) 7 (2 GA in 70:00); Kailynne Reinoehl (Cortland) 4 (1 GA in 70:00)

Record after game: Oneonta (Red Dragons) 12-3, 4-1 SUNYAC; Cortland (Red Dragons) 12-13, 4-1 SUNYAC