Parts of this release courtesy of SUNY Cortland Sports Information

CORTLAND, NY- The Utica College field hockey team dropped a close 1-0 decision to SUNY Cortland in non-conference action Sunday afternoon. 
 
The Red Dragons scored the game's only goal at 5:05 of the first half as Jess Gibaldi one-timed a cross from Megan O'Brien that found the back of the net.  Gibaldi's tally was her seventh of the year. 
 
Utica's best chance to answer came 13 minutes into the game, but Cortland's Mairead Hourihan came up with three consecutive saves on shots by junior Melissa Koch (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa). The Pioneers pressured late but could not create a quality scoring opportunity as Cortland held on for the 1-0 victory.
 
Junior Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) totaled eight saves in the loss, while Hourihan had seven saves in the shutout.  Whitehouse now has 144 saves this season, which ranks second in the College's single-season record book.  Junior Jordan Noga (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) also tallied her team-leading sixth defensive save of the season, to tie 2010 graduate, Shannon Moats for first all-time in a single season at UC. 
 
Cortland improves to 10-3 overall, while Utica drops to 4-11.  The Pioneers look to bounce back Thursday as they return home to host SUNY Geneseo.  Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.