CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Andrea Venditti (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) matched her career high with nine points to lead the nationally 12th- ranked Cortland women's lacrosse team to a 16-8 win versus Geneseo Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Red Dragons improved to 11-3 overall and 6-0 in the SUNYAC and earned the right to host the four-team conference tournament next weekend. The win also marked the 142nd in the career of head coach Cynthia Wetmore, who moved into first place in career wins at Cortland. Wetmore has a 142-36 record in 10 campaigns and surpassed Pat Rudy, who compiled a 141-66 mark in 14 seasons. The Knights fell to 10-4 and 5-2 with the loss but still clinched third place in the conference.

Venditti finished the game with seven goals and two assists and took over the team lead in scoring with 62 points. Junior Beth Elmer (Camillus/West Genesee) and freshman Jessie Fritz (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) each tallied three goals, senior Ali Bourgal (Sachem) recorded a goal and five assists and senior Jennifer Willis (Huntington/Walt Whitman) registered a goal and four assists for the Red Dragons. Senior Michelle Zimmer (Skaneateles) started in goal and made three saves in 31:29. Freshman Deanne Abell (Fulton/G.Ray Bodley) played the final 28:31, stopping two shots and picking up the win.

For Geneseo, senior Maggie Benham (Canandaigua) led the offense with three goals. Sophomore Laura Kitts (Camillus/West Genesee) scored two goals, junior Shauna Leonard (West Henrietta/Rush Henrietta) had one goal and one assist and senior Emily Ward (East Hampton) and junior Colleen Byrne (Syracuse/Bishop Ludden) each scored a goal. Sophomore Hannah McKee (Ithaca) made six saves in goal for the Knights.

The game was tight affair for the entire first half and midway through the second half. Cortland opened up a 5-2 lead at the intermission, but Geneseo opened the second half with four straight goals to take a 6-5 lead. Cortland responded with three consecutive goals to grab an 8-6 lead, and after Ward made it an 8-7 game with 22:39 remaining, the Red Dragons closed the game by scoring eight of the last nine goals.

Scoring (Goals-Assists):

Geneseo: Maggie Benham 3-0, Laura Kitts 2-0, Shauna Leonard 1-1, Colleen Byrne 1-0, Emily Ward 1-0
Cortland: Andrea Venditti 7-2, Beth Elmer 3-0, Jessie Fritz 3-0, Ali Bourgal 1-5, Jennifer Willis 1-4, Gina Fazio 1-1

Goalkeepers:
Potsdam: Hannah McKee, 6 saves (16 GA in 60:00)
Cortland: Michelle Zimmer, 3 saves (5 GA in 31:29); Deanne Abell, 2 saves (3 GA in 28:31)

Shots: Cortland 26, Geneseo 17
Ground Balls: Geneseo 21, Cortland 19
Draw Controls: Cortland 20, Geneseo 6
Caused Turnovers: Geneseo 15, Cortland 8
Turnovers: Cortland 25, Geneseo 23
Fouls: Geneseo 23, Cortland 11

2007-04-28