CORTLAND, N.Y. – The SUNY Cortland and SUNY Geneseo women's lacrosse teams have advanced to the championship game of the State University of New York Athletic Conference playoffs with victories in Friday's semifinal round. The teams will play for the league title and an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III playoffs on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Junior Andrea Venditti (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) scored five goals and surpassed 100 career points as nationally fifth-ranked Cortland defeated Buffalo St., 14-3. Senior Melody Kuzniar (Rome/Rome Free Academy) and junior Martha Katz (Pittsford/Pittsford-Mendon) each scored four goals to lead Geneseo to a 13-11 victory over Oneonta.

The Knights improved their record to 12-2 on the season and face Cortland in the finals for the third straight season. Oneonta fell to 6-10 with the loss.

Kuzniar led all scorers with four goals and two assists. Junior Maggie Benham (Canandaigua) recorded two goals and an assist and freshman Maggie Morris (Massapequa) connected for two goals for Geneseo. Senior goalie Jess Pausewang (Patchogue-Patchogue-Medford) made 16 saves in the game.

Junior Erin Maybeck (Huntington) led the Red Dragons with four goals and an assist, junior Rachel Litts (Scotia-Scotia-Glenville) added three goals and senior Jessica Garabedian (Baldwin) recorded her 50th goal of the season and contributed an assist. Sophomore goalie Jenna Van Etten (Lake Katrine/Kingston) made 17 saves, including 12 in the second half.

Geneseo opened up a 3-1 lead 6:19 into the game, and after Maybeck cut the lead to 3-2, the Knights extended their lead to 6-2 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. The Red Dragons answered by outscoring the Knights 3-1 to end the half down just 7-5.

Oneonta tied the game at 8-8 by scoring three of the first four goals of the second half. Geneseo, however, appeared to break the game open with a five goal run in a seven-minute span for a 13-8 lead with 13:18 remaining. The Red Dragons failed to quit and goals from freshman Somer Shuffield (East Rochester), Litts and sophomore Erica Krisak (Syracuse/ES-M) pulled Oneonta to within 13-11 with 2:49 remaining.

Geneseo was able to win the final draw control but eventually turned the ball over. Oneonta responded with its own turnover and the teams traded possessions until Geneseo was able to run out the clock.

Scoring (Goals-Assists):

Oneonta: Erin Maybeck 4-1, Rachel Litts 3-0, Jessica Garabedian 1-1, Brianne Ruzek 1-0, Erica Krisak 1-0, Somer Shuffield 1-0, Caitlyn Augustyn 0-1, Jackie Berger 0-1
Geneseo: Meloday Kuzniar 4-2, Martha Katz 4-0, Maggie Benham 2-1, Maggie Morris 2-0, Emily Ward 1-1, Amy Glover 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Oneonta: Jenna Van Etten 17 saves (13 GA in 60:00)
Geneseo: Jess Pausewang 16 saves (11 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Geneseo 40, Oneonta 30
Ground Balls: Geneseo 33, Oneonta 32
Draw Controls: Geneseo 18, Oneonta 8
Caused Turnovers: Oneonta 11, Geneseo 9
Turnovers: Geneseo 21, Oneonta 21
Fouls: Oneonta 36, Geneseo 28

2006-05-05