Posted: Nov 14, 2012
The other game on Saturday matches the host and sixth-ranked Bombers (19-1-2) against nationally 10th-ranked Misericordia University (19-2-1) at 11 a.m.. Saturday's two winners will meet Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Ithaca in the national quarterfinals. That winner will earn a berth in the "final four" in San Antonio, Texas, November 30 and December 1.
Ticket prices for each game, as set by the NCAA, are $6 for adults, $3 for students with ID and senior citizens, and $2 for children under 12.
Cortland advanced in the NCAA opening round after defeating Springfield College, 1-0. The Red Dragons then played to a 0-0 tie versus host and eighth-ranked William Smith in the second round. Cortland won the ensuing penalty kicks, 5-4, to advance to the "sweet 16."
Cortland is making its 12th NCAA Div. III tournament appearance and second in a row. The Red Dragons found themselves in a similar position last year - Cortland advanced through the first two rounds, then traveled to Ithaca for a regional. Cortland defeated Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) in the third round before losing to Ithaca in the national quarterfinals.
The Red Dragons won the 1992 national title, finished second in 1990, advanced to the semifinals in 1986 and went to the quarterfinals three other times. Cortland also played in the NCAA Div. I tournament four straight years from 1982-85 and won the first-ever Women's National Soccer title in 1980 prior to the NCAA sponsoring the sport.
Brandeis won two games last weekend in a regional hosted by Amherst College. The Judges defeated Union, 2-1 in overtime, and Lasell, 3-0.
Cortland has never faced either Brandeis or Misericordia. Cortland and Ithaca have met 36 times, with Ithaca leading 17-9-10. Ithaca won the 1990 NCAA title at Cortland's Holloway Field in penalty kicks after the teams played to a 0-0 tie. Cortland advanced past Ithaca in penalty kicks at Ithaca after a 0-0 tie in the opening round on its way to the 1992 NCAA title, while Ithaca won an NCAA penalty-kick battle at home versus Cortland in 1998 after a 1-1 tie. Ithaca beat Cortland in last year's quarterfinals, 2-0, and defeated the Red Dragons this fall, 1-0, both in Ithaca.
Live Stats
Radio Coverage (Ithaca student station VIC is covering all three games at the regional.)
NCAA Interactive Bracket
NCAA Tournament Program (NOTE: the NCAA has discontinued printing programs for Division III women's soccer; only digital versions are being made available)
CORTLAND TOURNAMENT NOTES (prior to NCAA third round)
* The SUNY Cortland women's soccer team is making its 12th NCAA Div. III Tournament appearance and second in a row. The Red Dragons, who also competed in the NCAA Div. I Tournament from 1982-85, won the first-ever U.S. National Women's Soccer Championship in 1980 with a victory over UCLA and also captured a Div. III national title in 1992.
* Cortland earned an automatic berth into the 64-team field this year after capturing the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament title. The Red Dragons finished fourth in the regular season, but won playoff games versus Buffalo State (3-0), Brockport (1-0) and Oneonta (2-1) to win their first league title since 1991. Cortland was the 2011 SUNYAC regular-season champion and earned an NCAA at-large berth after losing in the league title game.
* Ninth-year head coach Heidi Woodcock earned her 100th career victory in Cortland's 1-0 win over Springfield in the NCAA first round. Her career record of 100-60-25 places her second in career wins at Cortland (Chris Malone was 195-44-34 from 1982-94). Woodcock was an All-America defender at Nazareth College and earned induction into the Nazareth Sports Hall of Fame in the fall of 2010.
* Cortland has tied an NCAA Div. III record this fall by playing in 10 overtime games. The record was initially set by Ithaca in 1989. Cortland is 3-1-6 in the 10 overtime games, with its lone loss a 1-0 decision at Oswego Oct. 20. The Red Dragons have not lost since that contest (four wins, two ties).
