Cortland Sports Information Department

CORTLAND, N.Y. - The nationally ninth-ranked and second-seeded Cortland women's hockey team rallied to beat visiting third-seeded Oswego, 2-1, Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the 2024 SUNYAC tournament. Junior defenseman Gillian Zwolak (Stoney Creek, ON/Ancaster Avalanche MAA) scored her first goal of the season for the game winner 11:36 into the third period.
 
Cortland will travel to top-seeded Plattsburgh for the conference championship game next Saturday, March 2, at 3 p.m. This will mark the third straight year that the Red Dragons and Cardinals have met in Plattsburgh for a conference title; Plattsburgh defeated Cortland in the NEWHL finals last year, 2-0, and two years ago, 4-3 in overtime. The SUNYAC is sponsoring women's ice hockey for the first time this winter.
 
Both teams had power play opportunities in the first period of a tough, physical game, but neither side was able to convert with the advantage. Oswego's Lauren Schell got the scoring started 6:15 into the second frame, firing it home on a rebound right in front of the Red Dragon net. With 7:22 remaining in the frame graduate student Dany Donegan (Cicero/Syracuse Nationals) found the back of the net, redirecting a shot from freshman Calista Brough (Port Perry, ON/Whitby Wolves) to level it up for Cortland.
 
Two sets of concurrent penalties provided 4-on-4 action in both the second and third periods. Cortland's Mia Hlasnick (Olean/Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) and Schell were sent to their penalty boxes with 8:33 to play, and nine seconds later Zwolak found the back of the net for the Red Dragons. Oswego pulled goalie Lexi Levy with 1:02 to play but the Lakers weren't able to net the equalizer.
 
Donegan scored her 99th career point (33 goals, 66 assists) in the effort. Brough, Kayla Persinger (Lewistown, NY/Newark Ironbound) and Fanny Aneborn (Linkoping, Sweden/Lulea HF Sweden) picked up assists for the Red Dragons, and junior Molly Goergen (Eden Prairie, MN/Eden Prairie H.S.) made 22 saves.
 
Schell was the lone goal scorer for Oswego, with Sophia Kyrkostas and Tessa Mucha each tallying an assist on the score. Levy turned away 35 of the 37 shots she faced, including many spectacular saves that denied Red Dragon scoring opportunities.
 
Cortland 2, Oswego 1
 
Score by periods:
Cortland       0-1-1      2
Oswego        0-1-0     1
 
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists)
Cortland: Dany Donegan 1-0, Gillian Zwolak 1-0, Calista Brough 0-1, Kayla Persinger 0-1, Fanny Aneborn 0-1
Oswego: Lauren Schell 1-0, Sophia Kyrkostas 0-1, Tessa Mucha 0-1
 
 
Saves: Molly Goergen(Cortland) 22 saves (1 GA in 60:00); Lexi Levy (Oswego) 35 saves (2 GA in 58:58), Empty Net for 1:02
 
Shots on Goal: Cortland 37, Oswego 23
Penalties: Cortland 4-8:00, Oswego 5-10:00
Power Play: Cortland 0-3, Oswego 0-2
 
Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 19-5-2, Oswego (Lakers) 14-11-1