ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The SUNY Oneonta field hockey team started off slow before a strong, five-goal, second half performance propelled them over Union College, 6-5, Thursday evening. Freshman Abigail Draper (Remsen, NY/Holland Patent) and graduate student Morgan Fleming (Harpursville, N.Y./Harpursville) both hit the cage twice as the Red Dragons improved to 2-3 on the season, while the Garnet Chargers dropped to 2-2.  

Union controlled the ball early and recorded four shots on target in the first five minutes of play, however sophomore Maura Leib (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa) saved all of them. Oneonta got the ball out of their zone for a few moments in the first period, but with two minutes remaining Rachel Ostiguy got the Garnet Chargers on the board.

Time was winding down in the second period when the Red Dragons tied the game at one. Oneonta found themselves in a breakaway opportunity between senior Carly O'Connor (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) and Fleming. O'Connor received the ball and charged towards the cage and as the goalie came out, O'Connor passed it to Fleming to the corner of the cage for the goal.  

The Red Dragons one-upped the Garnet Chargers energy in the second half and recorded three goals in the first eight minutes. O'Connor started it off with a goal from the left side of the circle, Fleming scored her second three minutes later, and senior Erin Clark (Somers, N.Y./Somers) redirected the ball into the cage off an assist from freshman Alexandra Howell (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) to give Oneonta a 4-1 lead. Union cut the deficit to one with two goals from Suzanna Wright and Grace Krebs in the final minutes of the third, but the Red Dragons made it 5-3 before the end of the period when junior Emilia Montgomery (Simsbury, CT/Simsbury) shot the ball near the cage for Draper to redirect in.  

Ostiguy brought the game back to one with her second goal of the game with nine minutes remaining. Leib made a couple saves to maintain the one-goal lead for Oneonta and with less than two minutes left, Draper recorded her second goal to secure the win. Union recorded one more goal with a minute left, however there was not enough time to tie.

Leib finished with 12 saves for the Red Dragons, while Sophie Brady recorded seven saves and Marion Stuntz had two for the Chargers.  

Union outshot Oneonta 25-18 and had a 16-11 advantage on penalty corners.

The Red Dragons are back in action Saturday when they host Marywood at 12 pm.
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