CORTLAND, NY – The nationally third-ranked Cortland women's lacrosse team outscored Union, 10-2, in the second half to pull away from a tight game at intermission and earned a 19-10 win in the season-opening games for both teams Tuesday afternoon at the Stadium Complex.

Junior Maggie Comiskey paced the Dutchwomen's offense with two goals and three assists. Emily McGrail, Jackie Hagopian and Natalie Sullivan notched two goals apiece. Junior Jessica Farland recorded one goal and one assist, and Kate Kurchena contributed an assist.

Senior goalie Kim Grinhaus turned aside 11 shots for Union, including seven in the first half. Sullivan won three draws, McGrail recorded four ground balls and three caused turnovers, and Kurchena and Grinhaus each collected three ground balls.

Junior Tara Monaghan led the Red Dragons offensively with a career-high six goals. Kristen Ohberg tallied four goals and one assist, while Emma Hayes-Hurley, Ashley Gentile and freshman Hannah Elmer each recorded two goals and one assist. Elise Bennett netted two goals, and Marilyn Farrell contributed one goal and one assist.

Junior goalie Liz Ingalls registered eight saves for Cortland. Hayes-Hurley won eight draw controls, Monaghan added five draws, three ground balls and three caused turnovers and Gentile chipped in with four draws and two caused turnovers.

The first half featured plenty of offense as Cortland took a 9-8 lead into the break. The Red Dragons broke out early, grabbing a 3-0 lead 2:32 into the contest as three different players scored. The teams traded the next four goals and Cortland held a 5-2 lead with 22:44 to play in the half. The Dutchwomen put together a three-goal run in just over three minutes to pull even at 5-5. The Red Dragons went ahead 7-5 as Elmer and Ohberg scored 23 seconds apart, but Union tallied three of the next four goals to knot the game at 8-8. Cortland took the lead for good with 1:58 remaining in the opening half on a goal from Hayes-Hurley.

The Red Dragons dominated the second half in pulling away for the win. Cortland scored the first three goals of the second 30 minutes in 5:40 to build a 12-8 lead. After Sullivan stopped the run with a free-position goal at 23:51, the Red Dragons seized control with a seven-goal burst, including three consecutive from Monaghan, to make it a 19-9 game in the final minute. Comiskey completed the scoring off Kurchena's assist with 23 seconds on the clock.

Cortland outshot Union, 19-6, in the second half and won 11-of-13 draws. For the game, the Red Dragons held a 38-19 advantage in shots, a 21-16 edge in ground balls and secured 20-of-31 draws.

Union opens the home season at Frank Bailey Field Thursday at 5 p.m. against Emerson College.