Guerra Goal Beats Case Western, Sends Cortland to Sweet 16
CLEVELAND, OHIO – Freshman Caitlin Guerra (Highland Falls/James I. O'Neill) scored the game's lone goal in the 68th minute as Cortland defeated host Case Western Reserve, 1-0, in the second round of the NCAA Div. III Women's Soccer Tournament.
The Red Dragons (13-5-3), one of 16 teams remaining in the tournament, will play next weekend versus either UC-Santa Cruz or Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) at a date and site to be announced. Cortland is making its 11th NCAA Div. III tournament showing and first since 1998. Case Western finishes the season with a 13-4-3 record.
Graduate student Pam Monnier (East Northport/Northport) made seven saves for her 10th shutout of the season. Case Western's Anna Kennedy finished with four saves. Both teams also recorded one team defensive save - Cortland early in the game and Case in the second half.
Guerra tallied her second goal of the season when she tapped in a loose ball after a scramble in front of the net. Senior Kelly Wanser (East Northport/Northport) assisted on the play. Kennedy and Guerra jumped for a ball served into the box. The ball came loose and Guerra tapped it into the left side of the goal to give Cortland the lead.
Case outshot Cortland, 16-7, and pressured the Red Dragons numerous times for the equalizer in the final 20 minutes. The Spartans' best chance came in the 85th minute when they were awarded a direct kick just outside the top of the box. Kendra Simmons sent a shot heading toward the far left side of the net, but Monnier dove to her right and punched the ball away. Monnier also made a save in the 88th minute to help preserve the victory.
Cortland 1, Case Western Reserve 0
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Caitlin Guerra 1-0, Kelly Wanser 0-1
Case Western: no scoring
Halftime: Cortland 0, Case Western 0
Shots: Case Western 16, Cortland 7
Corner Kicks: Case Western 7, Cortland 3
Fouls: Cortland 13, Case Western 5
Saves: Pam Monnier (Cortland) 7 (0 GA in 90:00), plus one team save; Anna Kennedy (Case Western) 4 (1 GA in 90:00), plus one team save
Record after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 13-5-3; Case Western Reserve (Spartans) 13-4-3
