The top-seeded Red Dragons (24-2) advance to the league championship game for the eighth time in the last nine years and will host third-seeded Oswego Saturday at 4 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s title game, which Oswego won. The Lakers (19-7) defeated Brockport, 66-61 in overtime, in Friday’s first semifinal game.
Junior Sara Cavanaugh (Hastings-on-Hudson/Hastings) recorded 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for Cortland, which won its 38th consecutive home game. Sophomore Maggie Byrne (Pearl River/Albertus Magnus) added 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks and senior Erin Dabe (Selden/Newfield) registered eight points and four rebounds off the bench. In addition, sophomore Ali Canale (Oswego) finished with six points and nine rebounds and senior Kerry Costello (Katonah/John Jay) dished out a team-high four assists.
New Paltz (17-10) was led by senior Kerri Kelty’s (Valley Stream) 12 points, seven assists and four steals. Freshman Chelsea Clarke (Ithaca/Lansing) also scored 12 points in addition to recording three assists and three blocks.
Cortland trailed 5-3 early, but used a 15-0 run over a 7:15 span to take an 18-5 lead with 10:19 left. The Red Dragons led 33-15 at halftime and extended the lead to 20 at the start of the second half when Laing made two free throws after New Paltz’s bench was assessed a technical foul as the first half expired.
The Hawks fought back and were within nine at 42-33 on a Clarke jumper with 13:26 left. Cavanaugh, however, responded with back-to-back jumpers to push the lead to 13 and the Red Dragon lead stayed in double figures the remainder of the contest.
Cortland shot 38 percent from the floor but hit 85 percent of its foul shots (23-of-27). The Red Dragon defense held New Paltz to 27 percent shooting from the field.