Red Dragons Advance to SUNYAC Title Game After PK Shootout vs. Geneseo

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally 23rd-ranked SUNY Cortland women’s soccer team advanced to the championship game of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament versus visiting Geneseo in a penalty kick shootout. The teams played to a 0-0 tie through regulation and two overtime periods, and the game is officially a tie. Cortland advanced with a 3-2 decision in penalty kicks.

Cortland (12-4-2), the tournament’s top seed, will host second-seeded New Paltz on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the championship game. New Paltz defeated Fredonia, 1-0, in the other semifinal game Wednesday in Kingston. Cortland will play in the SUNYAC finals for the fifth time in eight years, but the Red Dragons are searching for their first conference tournament title since a 4-1 victory over Binghamton in the 1991 championship game. New Paltz will be making its first-ever SUNYAC championship game appearance.

Geneseo (14-4-2) is tied for 10th in the latest NSCAA East Region rankings. Cortland is ranked third in the East.

Cortland graduate student goalie Pam Monnier (East Northport/Northport) finished with two saves officially through regulation and overtime. She also stopped three of Geneseo’s four penalty kicks. Geneseo sophomore goalie Julia Sanger (Penfield/Fairport) finished with three saves, plus one stop in penalty kicks.

The Red Dragons’ first three participants in penalty kicks – freshman Amanda Margolis (Oceanside), junior Stacey Wood (New Hyde Park) and sophomore Kelly Knight (Rochester/Greece Olympia) – each made their kicks. Geneseo’s Bre Glynn (Holley/Brockport) made the Knights’ first penalty kick, but the next two attempts were saved by Monnier.

Geneseo stayed alive in the fourth round when Kelly Bergin (Middletown/Pine Bush) made her kick and Sanger stopped Cortland’s attempt. However, Monnier turned away the final Geneseo attempt to push Cortland into the title game.

During the official game, Geneseo had the first two good scoring chances. Anne Beinetti’s (Honeoye Falls/Homeschooled) shot off a sharp angle hit the crossbar in the 12th minute, and in the 18th minute Bergin was sent alone into the box, but Monnier charged off her line to stuff the shot. Cortland’s only real threat in the first half came when a shot by Bridgette DeSantis (Rotterdam/Mohonasen) was easily saved by Sanger with less than two minutes left.

Cortland had a good open look in the 70th minute deflect off a Geneseo defender and go high. Just over a minute into the first overtime, Cortland sent a high serve into the box that seemed relatively harmless. Sanger went to catch the ball with no pressure on her, but the ball went between her arms and legs and nearly went in. Sanger had to dive back on the ball to perhaps save a goal.

The only official shot by either team in the two 10-minute overtime periods came with about two minutes left in the second session. Cortland’s Jackie De Luise (Schenectady/Guilderland) took a cross from the right side that bounced through the box, but her shot from the left side from six yards out was right into Sanger’s chest.

Cortland outshot Geneseo, 13-7, including an 9-3 margin over the second half and overtime.


Cortland 0, Geneseo 0 (2 OT) (Cortland advances on pen. kicks, 3-2)

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Geneseo: no scoring
Cortland: no scoring

Halftime: Cortland 0, Geneseo 0
End of regulation: Cortland 0, Geneseo 0
Shots: Cortland 13, Geneseo 7
Corner Kicks: Geneseo 3, Cortland 2
Fouls: Geneseo 14, Cortland 13
Saves: Julia Sanger (Geneseo) 3 (0 GA in 110:00); Pam Monnier (Cortland) 2 (0 GA in 110:00)
Record after game: Geneseo (Knights) 14-4-2; Cortland (Red Dragons) 12-4-2

Penalty Kick Summary:

Bre Glynn (Geneseo) – good
Amanda Margolis (Cortland) – good

Anne Beinetti (Geneseo) – saved
Stacey Wood (Cortland) – good

Corinne Santariello (Geneseo) – saved
Kelly Knight (Cortland) – good

Kelly Bergin (Geneseo) – good
Jenn Fox (Cortland) – saved

Molly Bralower (Geneseo) – saved

(Cortland wins PK’s, 3-2)