TROY, N.Y. - Senior Robin Confer (Chenango Forks, NY/Chenango Forks) netted her first-career goal in the eighth minute to help give the SUNY Oneonta women's soccer team a season-opening win at RPI on Thursday evening. With the win, the Red Dragons move to 1-0, while the Engineers slip to 0-1. 

The Red Dragons took the offensive in less than a minute when senior Abbey Wood (Dover Plains, NY/Dover Plains) fired a shot on goal, but RPI's Megan Wampner collected the save. Oneonta drew a corner at the seventh minute, but the Engineers quickly cleared the cross out of bounds. Junior Gianna Gritzmacher (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comsewogue) received the ball on the throw-in and made a high pass to the front of the net. The Engineers' defense looked to take possession until Confer intercepted a mistimed pass 25-yards out from goal. She wound up the shot and bulleted the ball into the top right corner just out of reach of the goalkeeper to put the Red Dragons up 1-0. 

Everything remained in Oneonta's game, with junior Leighann Perciballi (Northport, NY/Kings Park) and sophomore Kayla Schwizer (Lynbrook, NY/Lynbrook) following up with on-goal attempts. The Engineers managed their first shot in the 19th minute when Erin shot into the bottom left of the net. Fifth-year goalkeeper Claire Lepper (Poland, NY/Poland) was there for the stop. That proved to be the lone RPI try, as the Red Dragons held an 8-1 shot advantage heading into halftime. 

The Engineers picked up the pace after the break, but the Oneonta defense prevented any opportunities. In the 74th minute, first-year Kaiden Ring (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) slipped through coverage and sent a strong shot, but the ball sailed too high and out of play. RPI followed up when Gwen Barnes shot to the bottom of the net, but Lepper was there to make the save. 

Oneonta nearly scored off a corner in the 78th minute when a defender blocked senior Joie Tortorice's (Melville, NY/Walt Whitman) chip shot right on the goal line. 

Tortorice remained persistent and picked up the ball in the midfield. She sprinted straight ahead and shot from 25-yards out to the top center of the net just over the goalkeeper's head to make it 2-0.  

In all, Oneonta outshot RPI 15-11. Lepper also picked up her first shutout of the season and made three saves.

The Red Dragons are next on the road when they travel to face Alfred University on Sat. Sept. 3 at 4 p.m.