The Cortland Red Dragons officially tipped off their 2025–26 women’s basketball season at home against the Rochester Yellowjackets on Friday night inside Whitney T. Corey Gymnasium. The Red Dragons entered the game with hopes to start the season strong after an impressive 25–4 record last season, including a 17–1 record within SUNYAC. Cortland begins the year ranked seventh nationally, looking to prove they belong as one of the better programs in D3 hoops.
Rochester, on the other hand, came into Cortland following a 13–12 campaign in 2024–25.
The game opened with offensive firepower as both teams came out aggressively. The first quarter ended with Rochester holding a 20–19 lead. Compared to the rest of the game, that opening period easily had the most offensive output, as both teams traded baskets and established their rhythm. The Red Dragons shot 42% from the field in the quarter, hitting six shots, including two three-pointers. Rochester countered with hot shooting of their own, hitting 56% of their attempts on nine made field goals, ending the quarter with a one point lead.
As the first quarter came to a close, it was clear that for Cortland to stop the bleeding, they needed to tighten their defensive approach and prevent Rochester from getting easy looks inside. The Red Dragons responded well in the second quarter, putting together a strong defensive effort that completely changed the pace of the game. They allowed only one made shot during that stretch, holding the Yellowjackets to just two total points. Head coach Colleen Ames clogged the paint and forced Rochester into more perimeter shots as a way to control the boards.
By halftime, several Cortland players had already made their mark. Jackie Funk led the team with nine points and three rebounds, providing consistent scoring and energy on both ends. Joleen Lusk added eight points and three blocks, providing some productive defense. For Rochester, Bridget Miller led the way with six points on 3-of-5 shooting while grabbing four rebounds.
Coming out of the locker room, Cortland looked to continue converting strong defense into offense. While the Red Dragons held Rochester to 13 points in the third quarter, the Yellowjackets showed resilience, matching Cortland’s intensity with hustle and improved ball movement. Rochester began to swing the ball side to side and find solid looks and gain rhythm, cutting the deficit to six heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter, Cortland looked to close the game properly in its home opener. The second half had not been kind to the Red Dragons; they scored only nine points in the third and had a slow start to the fourth. Turnovers began to pile up, allowing Rochester to cut the lead to 46–43 with just over three minutes remaining.
With 2:30 left, Rochester’s Grace Corelli missed a game-tying three-pointer that could have shifted the momentum for the Yellowjackets. In the closing moments, #20 Kaeli McAnally and #5 Joleen Lusk stepped up for Cortland. McAnally hit a clutch jumper, and Lusk knocked down key free throws down the stretch to help the Red Dragons hold off the late efforts from the Yellowjackets. Cortland was capable of finishing a hard-fought home victory to begin the season.
Cortland will look to use this early momentum going into their next game against Scranton on Tuesday, November 11. Scranton is a highly competitive team coming off a 29-2 campaign last season. If the Red Dragons win at home on Tuesday, it will serve them well in their national ranking for the season.