FAUVER STADIUM – Anna Branch turned home a pass from Jessica Welsh 6:20 into the first sudden death overtime period as SUNY Cortland defeated the University of Rochester, 1-0, on Tuesday evening.
 
Cortland improved to 4-2 overall and bounced back from a 5-0 loss to SUNY Geneseo last Friday. Rochester, which played its second straight overtime, is 5-2. The Yellowjackets edged SUNY New Paltz, 3-2, in overtime on Saturday. Rochester is ranked No. 16 in the current Division III poll conducted by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
 
The Red Dragons had two good chances in the extra period and they converted on the second one. Two minutes into extra time, Erin Hallenbeck centered the ball to Jess Gibaldi. Her shot for the low right corner was kicked away by Rochester goaltender Gabrielle Cantley. Just over four minutes later, Cortland broke out on a counter attack after Hannah Burchell dispossessed a Rochester attacker.
 
Burchell carried the ball up the middle and got it to Welsh as Cortland had a slight advantage in numbers. Welsh took it into the shooting circle, pushed it to Branch and she backhanded it into the right side of the net.
 
Rochester pressed, particularly in the second half when the Yellowjackets outshot the Red Dragons, 8-1 (13-4 for the game). Eleven minutes into the second half, Rochester's Maya Haigis hit a long shot from the left side of the circle. It deflected off Cortland goaltender Kailynne Reinoehl and flew – narrowly – over the top of the goal. With 16 minutes left, Rochester's Claire Dickerson broke down the right side. Reinoehl raced out of goal as Dickerson's right wing shot sailed just past the left post. With 12 minutes left, Reinoehl saved an eight-yard shot on left wing by Jessica Brandon.
 
Reinoehl finished with five saves. Cantley had two saves for Rochester.