CORTLAND, NY – The 19th-ranked University of Rochester field hockey team squared off with its toughest opponent of the season yet, falling by a 1-0 score on Wednesday evening at 10th-ranked SUNY Cortland at Stadium White.
 
Rochester (8-1) snaps its eight-match win streak to open the 2024 season, while Cortland (8-0) remains unbeaten on the year.
 
The Red Dragons defense was the story, holding Rochester to just four shot attempts in the entire game, a season-low and the fewest since a 1-0 loss to Hamilton on September 13, 2023 when the Yellowjackets also only attempted four shots. UR's last game at SUNY Cortland, a 3-1 loss in 2022, also saw the visitors held to just four shots.
 
In Wednesday's narrow defeat, none of the four attempts on net were on frame, with Cortland keeper Emma Morgan not needing to make a save to earn the win.
 
Rochester's goalie, Kara Houston, made three saves, but was beat on the first shot of the game, a backhand blast by Jamie Snyder in the 8th minute. The Snyder shot was one of just two shots, both by Cortland, in the opening 15 minutes of the defensive battle.
 
UR's first scoring chance of the game came in the 23rd minute, when after a long entry pass into the circle by Mara Heppard, the ball found the stick of first-year Hannah Mehta. Mehta's turnaround attempt from seven yards was blocked away by the Red Dragons.
 
After a scoreless second quarter sent the teams into halftime with the score 1-0 Cortland, the Red Dragons nearly doubled the lead in the 41st minute when Isabel Adams' penalty corner sweep shot from the center circle deflected and clanged off the left post.
 
A few minutes later, UR earned its first corner of the game, but Grayson Honig's shot off that chance was sent wide of the cage.
 
In the fourth, it was more Cortland in the early going, as the Red Dragons took five shots in the opening three minutes of the quarter, none of which found the cage, keeping it a one-goal contest.
 
Rochester earned back-to-back corners in the 49th minute, but only was able to get one shot off in the sequence. Kristina Fedorova's blast from the right wing was blocked and cleared away by the Cortland defense.
 
In the closing minutes, a turnover gave the Red Dragons a 2-on-1 opportunity in the circle, with Hanna Corrigan blasting a rocket shot on net, but Houston was there for a tremendous kick save, keeping Rochester within striking distance.
 
UR could not counter though as time ticked away and was held without a shot the rest of the way, ending on the short side of the 1-0 contest.
 
Up next for the Yellowjackets is a home contest against Nazareth on Wednesday October 2nd, starting at 4 pm.