Cortland, NY ---
Katie Adiletta (Bolton, MA) and
Tiziri Tizi-Ougdal (Acton, MA) scored first-half goals and
Abigail Johnson (Middletown, CT) added an early second-half tally as the WPI women's soccer team earned a 3-1 victory over Cortland Sunday afternoon at Holloway Field.
The Engineers improve to 1-2 on the season, while the Red Dragons fall to 2-1. WPI, which opened the weekend with a 2-1 setback at Ithaca, closed out its two-game Central New York trip with its first victory of the season.
WPI struck first in the 14th minute when
Maeve Steckley (Irondequoit, NY) disrupted a pass back toward the Cortland goal and raced down the left side. Steckley's shot from a tight angle hit the left post, with the rebound falling to Adiletta, who was streaking into the box and buried the chance into the left side of the net at 13:34. The Engineers doubled their advantage in the 39th minute following a corner kick. Tizi-Ougdal headed the initial service off the crossbar, then quickly gathered the rebound and headed it into the net at 38:16 for her first goal of the season. Cortland nearly answered before halftime, but
Emma Fitzgerald (Beverly, MA) cleared a shot off the goal line for a team save at 41:11 to help WPI carry a 2-0 advantage into the break.
The Red Dragons came out quickly in the second half, cutting the deficit to 2-1 just 1:47 after intermission.
Tyla Vuotto (Lynbrook, NY) played a pass from the right side of the 18-yard area to
Cassia Schuyler (Cincinnatus, NY), who finished into the bottom-left corner at 46:47. WPI responded less than two minutes later.
Jess English (Ledyard, CT) sent a long clearing pass from the left side, and Steckley beat her opponent to the ball before racing down the left flank. Steckley crossed into the box for Johnson, who took a touch to beat the goalkeeper and finished into the left side of the net at 48:44 to restore the Engineers' two-goal cushion. WPI's defense and goalkeeper
Ayla Verheul (Naarden, The Netherlands) then kept Cortland off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
Verheul made eight saves for the Engineers, including five in the second half, while Cortland goalkeeper Olivia Rouse stopped six WPI shots. WPI finished with 14 shots and six corner kicks, compared to 20 shots and three corners for the Red Dragons. Steckley led the Engineers with five shots, including two on goal, while Adiletta added three shots and Johnson had two shots, both on target.
Delaney Mohl (Hopewell Junction, NY) and Tizi-Ougdal each recorded a shot on goal off the bench.
The Engineers returns home to host #22 Amherst at 7pm on Tuesday while Cortland is back in action Saturday, Sept. 12, entertaining Penn State Harrisburg at 6pm.
