WORCESTER -- Goals by WPI's Abigail Johnson (Middletown, CT) and Cortland's Avery Rich (Ilion, NY) in the opening 12 minutes proved to be the only scoring of the afternoon as the host Engineers and the visiting Red Dragons played to a 1-1 draw in a women's soccer match Friday on H. Carr Field at Alumni Stadium.
 
With the tie, WPI is now 2-1-1 on the young season while Cortland remains at .500 at 1-1-1.
 
WPI wasted no time denting the scoring column in its home opener, finding the back of the net on the first shot of the game.  Junior Katie Adiletta (Bolton, MA) crossed a ball from the left side into the box where it was volleyed home by Johnson just 2:21 into the match for the sophomore's second goal of the season and sixth of her career.
 
Cortland didn't wait long before equalizing, the Red Dragons were awarded their second corner kick of the match in the 12th minute.  Leah Rehm (East Syracuse, NY) sent the corner in towards goal, which was temporarily cleared by the WPI goalkeeper and collected by Cortland's Rich just inside the box, who fired home her first career goal at 11:56.
 
The frantic start to the afternoon continued as WPI's Maeve Steckley (Rochester, NY) nearly put the hosts back ahead four minutes with a rocket shot from 20 yards out but Red Dragon netminder Olivia Rouse (Springfield, VA) was able to get a hand on the shot that hit the inside of the left post and stayed in play before getting cleared away.
 
The two teams then settled in the rest of the way with the guests have the better of the stats, outshooting the Crimson and Gray 17-9 and attempting 13 of the 14 corners, but arguably, WPI may have had the best scoring opportunity late but Rich, Cortland's goal scorer, made a strong play to gain possession of the ball and thwart the threat.  Despite being outshot 17-9, the Engineers held a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal.
   
Ayla Verheul (Naarden, The Netherlands) and Maya Mussel (Oxford, CT) split the halves in net for the hosts with Verheul recording a save in the opening 45 minutes and Mussel registering a pair of stops in the second half.  Rouse was strong in net for the Red Dragons, tallying five saves on the day   
 
WPI plays the middle contest of a three-match homestand on Wednesday, entertaining No. 21 Wesleyan at 7pm.  Cortland plays its second straight NEWMAC opponent on the road on Tuesday, venturing to Northampton for a 2pm kickoff against Smith.