In a must win for both teams in a tight race for the four SUNYAC tournament berths, it was SUNY New Paltz that came out on top, 4-3, versus SUNY Oneonta today. The win for the Hawks (11-4/4-1 SUNYAC) assures them of one spot in the conference tournament. Their exact seed will not be known until the conclusion of all conference games tomorrow.
For Oneonta (9-6/3-3 SUNYAC) they will need Brockport to lose to Oswego tomorrow for them to earn the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament that will be held Nov. 2-3 at the highest seed. Brockport lost at SUNY Cortland today, 4-0.
The game was well played and entertaining as both squads moved the ball from end-to-end creating multiple scoring chances throughout the 70 minutes. In the end, Oneonta generated 23 shots and 11 corners to New Paltz's 17 shots and four corners.
New Paltz's opening goal actually came on a corner on a tipped shot that sailed past Oneonta goalie
Tess Tracy (Liverpool/Liverpool). Tracy finished the game with seven saves.
In the eighth minute, Dani Ackerman was able to get her stick on a shot by Jessica Caruana after Danielle Conklin sent the ball to her.
Senior
Suzanne Wright (Hudson/Germantown Central) tied the game at one apiece in the 22nd minute. The ball was in tight to the New Paltz goalie, but junior
Ashley Morgan (Putnam Valley/Putnam Valley) was able to slip a pass to Wright, who one-timed it by the pads of Antonija Pjetri.
The two teams went into halftime tied 1-1.
Oneonta struck first in the second half, as Morgan got loose and dribbled into the circle before taking a shot that trickled by Pjetri to give the Red Dragons a 2-1 lead in the 41st minute.
The Hawks didn't waste much time in tying the game. In the 43rd minute, New Paltz had a flurry of shots before Lauren Link was able to slip one past Tracy.
New Paltz took the lead for good five minutes later on a blast from Conklin that just snuck inside the right post. She created her opportunity by dribbling into the circle before taking it right and then unloading her shot that grazed the right post before finding the back of the goal.
The Hawks added an insurance goal in the 65th minute, as Link scored her second of the game with an assist from Conklin, which was her third of the game. Link was able to get to the back post, as Conklin sent in a pass from outside the circle out on the right flank. Link got her stick on it enough to redirect it to a wide-open left side of the goal.
With just under two minutes remaining, Oneonta made the game interesting when Morgan scored her second of the game to cut the Hawks lead back to a goal. Morgan was able to dribble into the circle before rifling a shot to the back of the goal.
New Paltz was able to control the ball enough during the final 1:57 to secure the win.
Oneonta will be home next Wednesday, Oct. 24 versus Utica College beginning at 4pm.
