CORTLAND, N.Y. - The nationally 12th-ranked Cortland women's lacrosse team outscored visiting Rochester, 12-1, in the second-half to earn a 17-7 win in its home opener Tuesday afternoon. The Red Dragons improved to 2-1 with the victory, while the Yellowjackets fell to 1-2.

Senior Danielle Torre (Massapequa) matched her career high with five goals to lead the Cortland offense. Junior Jess Fritz (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) and freshman Lindsay Abbott (South Onondaga/Onondaga Central) each tallied three goals, sophomore Mallory Palmieri (Bellmore/John F. kennedy) and freshman Jordan Miller (Liverpool) scored two goals apiece and senior Meghan Gallagher (Long Beach) added a goal and two assists. Freshman goalie Amanda Caloia (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) made nine saves before giving way to classmate Brianna Straut (Nanuet), who did not stop a shot in the final two minutes, 33 seconds.

Six different players scored a goal for Rochester -- seniors Abby Woodward (Pittsford/Pittsford Sutherland), Lindsay Dakin (Henrietta/Rush-Henrietta) and Erica Gelb (Baltimore, MD/The Park School), juniors Amanda Case (McLean, VA/Langley) and Danielle Mondro (Concord, NH/Bishop Brady) and sophomore Chelsea Audin (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury). Senior goalie Leslie Dube (Skaneateles/Marcellus) registered 15 saves.

Cortland grabbed the lead on Miller's first goal at 27:23. Audin answered from the free position at 25:48, but Torre made it a 2-1 lead with a free-position score at 19:10. The Yellowjackets then reeled off four straight goals and led 5-2 with 13:08 left in the opening half. Back-to-back goals from Torre pulled Cortland to within 5-4 before Dakin netted the game's strangest goal. Caloia, who had left her crease on a clear attempt, attempted a pass that Dakin blocked. The ball ricocheted backward and into the Cortland cage. Palmieri closed the scoring in the first half with just five seconds on the clock.

The Red Dragons rode the momentum of that late score early in the second half, putting up four goals in three minutes for a 9-6 lead. Mondro's free-position goal at 21:05 briefly stemmed the tide, but Cortland closed out the game with the last eight goals with two each coming from Fritz and Abbott.

Cortland outshot Rochester, 42-24, including 25-8 in the second half, and had a 37-23 advantage in ground balls.

2009-03-17