CORTLAND, N.Y. (Sept. 24, 2025) — The SUNY Cortland women’s soccer team extended its streak of shutouts to three games Wednesday evening, playing to a defensive stalemate with Ithaca College in a 0-0 draw at Holloway Field.
With the result, Cortland moves to 4–2–2 on the season, while Ithaca sits at 3–2–2. The Red Dragons now shift their focus to conference play, which begins Saturday when they host New Paltz.
Strong Goalkeeping Anchors Defense
Sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Rouse (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) was a steady presence throughout the match, turning away six shots to secure her fourth shutout of the year. Cortland’s defense, organized and resilient, repeatedly turned aside late Ithaca pressure, preserving the clean sheet.
On the Ithaca side, Katrina Varnum recorded two clutch saves, keeping her side in the match.
Opportunities Abound, But No Breakthrough
Ithaca struck early, in just the second minute, when a dangerous cross was cleared only by coordinated effort from Rouse, Avery Rich, and Katie Diem to deny a tap-in opportunity.
Cortland answered back in the fifth minute when Tyla Vuotto played an overhead pass into the box; Ithaca’s Varnum quickly closed off Cassia Schuyler’s chest-down attempt.
Midway through the first half, Ithaca nearly took the lead. A cross from the left was mishandled by the Red Dragons’ defense, leaving Devin Sylvia a chance inside the box, but her shot drifted just over the bar.
In the second half, Ithaca surged again in the 55th minute, as Julia Gilgar broke free of defenders, but Rouse made a strong save in close. Moments later, the Red Dragons’ backline was tested again, but Rouse came off her line sharply to deny a scorcher.
A free kick by Julia DeTurris flew just over in the 57th minute; two minutes later, Gianna Cirilla got a shot off after a quick counter, but it skidded just to the left of the post.
In the 73rd minute, Ithaca’s Ella Shorkey forced a blocked attempt from inside the 18, while Cortland mounted pressure late in the match. In the 77th and 78th minutes, the Red Dragons had consecutive scoring chances: Piper Klammer unleashed a shot toward the top-left that Varnum dove to save, then on the ensuing corner, Cirilla’s header was cleared off the line by Ithaca’s Allie McCabe.
In the match’s final moments, Ithaca launched two more corner kicks to press for a winner, but Cortland’s defense held firm—blocking both attempts and preserving the shutout.
Statistical Snapshot & Standouts
- Shots (Ithaca 19, Cortland 9)
- Shots on goal (Ithaca 6, Cortland 3)
- Saves (Ithaca 2, Cortland 6)
- Corners (Ithaca 6, Cortland 5)
- Offsides (Ithaca 3, Cortland 1)
- Fouls (Ithaca 12, Cortland 12)
Among Cortland’s attack, Piper Klammer, Cassia Schuyler, and Gianna Cirilla each tallied a shot on goal. For Ithaca, Kaelyn Fernandez led with two shots on goal.
Moving Forward
The draw underscores Cortland’s defensive identity thus far—they’ve now secured three consecutive shutouts
As they enter conference play, maintaining that consistency will be critical. The Red Dragons return to Holloway Field Saturday at 2 p.m. for their SUNYAC opener against New Paltz.
Ithaca, meanwhile, will look to rebound as it continues non-conference play before diving into its own conference schedule.