Cortland Field Hockey to Host Ohio Wesleyan in NCAA First Round on Wednesday
Cortland Athletic Communications
The Cortland field hockey team will play in its fourth consecutive NCAA Division III tournament and its 32nd overall when the Red Dragons host Ohio Wesleyan in a first-round contest on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m from the Stadium Complex.
Cortland (17-1) claimed its third straight State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament championship after defeating New Paltz, 2-1, in the conference finals Saturday at Cortland. Ohio Wesleyan earned an NCAA automatic bid after defeating Denison, 1-0, at home Saturday in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship game.
The Cortland-Ohio Wesleyan winner will advance to face the winner of another first-round matchup between Johns Hopkins and Marywood in the second round on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. as part of a four-team regional hosted by six-time defending national champion Middlebury. Saturday's other second-round game will feature Middlebury against the winner of Wednesday's first round game between Bryn Mawr and Geneseo. Sunday's regional champion advances to the national semifinals and finals Nov. 22 and 24 at Washington & Lee in Lexington, Va.
Cortland, led by ninth-year head coach Tiffany Hubbard, began the season with 10 consecutive victories. After suffering their lone defeat, 1-0, on the road at nationally-eighth ranked York on Oct. 9, the Red Dragons have won seven straight contests leading into the NCAA tournament. For the year, Cortland has outscored opponents, 78-10, and has posted ten shutouts to record the lowest goals-against average in the nation at just 0.53 goals allowed per game.
Cortland won national titles in 1993, 1994 and 2001 and finished second in 1997. The Red Dragons tied for third in 1999 and 2003, placed third in both 1989 and 1996 and were fourth in 1988. In their most recent appearance last season, the Red Dragons finished tied for ninth place nationally after defeating Stevens, 3-1, in the first round, before falling to Messiah by a score of 3-1 in the second round.
Senior Keirra Ettere (Mahopac/Lakeland) leads Cortland with 42 points on 18 goals, including six game-winning goals, and five assists. Senior Hanna Corrigan (Barneveld/Holland Patent) has 41 points on 18 goals and five assists, and was named the SUNYAC Tournament MVP after scoring a goal and an assist in the conference title game. Both Ettere and Corrigan rank in the top 15 nationally in goal scoring, at ninth and 12th, respectively.
Gianna Trunfio (Clinton) has 11 goals and five assists for 27 points for the Red Dragons, while Jamie Snyder (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) has 10 goals and six assists for 26 points.
Junior goalkeeper Emma Morgan (Whitney Point) has posted a 0.58 GAA, an .827 save percentage and six solo shutouts in 18 starts. Her goals-against average is second in the country, while Morgan's save percentage ranks 16th.
