CORTLAND, N.Y. – Sophomore Ainsley Delacourt (Stoney Creek, ON/Brampton Canadettes) scored early in the third period to lead the Cortland women’s ice hockey team to a come-from-behind 2-1 win versus nationally 12th-ranked Elmira in non-conference action Tuesday night at Alumni Arena. The Red Dragons earned their first win over the Soaring Eagles in program history and handed head coach Rick Filighera his 200th career victory. Filighera has compiled his wins with stops at RIT, Maine and Cortland. Filighera is a native of Buffalo, NY.
Graduate student Dany Donegan (Cicero/Syracuse Nationals) also netted a goal for Cortland, which improved to 12-3-1 on the season. Freshman Katie Mahoney (Toronto, ON/Toronto Leaside) recorded two assists, while sophomores Kayla Persinger (Lewiston/Newark Ironbound) and Hayley Hunter (Pulaski/NAHA) each collected an assist. Junior goalie Molly Goergen (Eden Prairie, MN/Eden Prairie H.S.) stopped 31 shots.
Graduate student Claire Meeder scored her eighth goal of the season for the Soaring Eagles (11-5-1). Junior Erika Goleniak and sophomore MK Boyle chipped in with assists. Junior goalie Leonie-Louise Kuehberger made 15 saves.
After a scoreless first period that included much play in the neutral zone, Meeder put Elmira in front with a one-time shot from the top of the crease just 16 seconds into the second period. Donegan tied the game on the power play at the 3:45 mark of the period with her fifth goal of the season. She collected the puck from Mahoney near the end line, circled out to the left point and into the middle of the slot and scored with a wrist shot.
Delacourt’s game winner came at 6:09 of the third period. Mahoney fed a pass from the right side to Delacourt at the left point. Delacourt skated into the left circle and beat Kuehberger with a wrist shot. Late in the period, Cortland took a penalty, but just four seconds later the Soaring Eagles also took a penalty leaving the teams skating at four aside. The Red Dragons controlled the puck in Elmira’s defensive zone for most of the 4-on-4 until both teams returned to full strength with less than a minute remaining in regulation. Elmira pulled Kuehberger for an extra skater with 15 seconds on the clock, but Cortland held the Soaring Eagles without a shot to seal the 2-1 victory.
Cortland 2, Elmira 1
Score by periods:
Elmira 0-1-0 1
Cortland 0-1-1 2
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Elmira: Claire Meeder 1-0, MK Boyle 0-1, Erika Goleniak 0-1
Cortland: Dany Donegan 1-0, Ainsley Delacourt 1-0, Katie Mahoney 0-2, Kayla Persinger 0-1, Hayley Hunter 0-1
Saves: Leonie-Louise Kuehberger (Elmira) 15 saves (2 GA in 59:45), Empty Net :15; Molly Goergen (Cortland) 31 saves (1 GA in 60:00)
Shots on goal: Elmira 32 (8-16-8), Cortland 17 (3-6-8)
Penalties: Elmira 3-6:00, Cortland 2-4:00
Power Play: Cortland 1-3, Elmira 0-2
Records after game: Elmira (Soaring Eagles) 11-5-1 (ranked 12th in Div. III); Cortland (Red Dragons) 12-3-1
(Photo By Cortland Women’s Athletic Dept._
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