ONEONTA, N.Y. -- A score in the first period along with strong defense and goalkeeping throughout the match lifted the Oneonta field hockey team over Hartwick, 1-0, in the Battle of the Hills Wednesday afternoon. Graduate student
Erin Clark (Somers, N.Y./Somers) scored the game-winning goal for Oneonta while junior
Maura Leib (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa) finished with 15 saves for her fourth shutout of the season. It's the Red Dragons' first win against the Hawks since 2017 as they improved to 9-7 on the season and the Hawks dropped to 8-7 overall.
Leib made five stops in the first period before Clark recorded the game-winning goal at 12:49. Junior
Molly Miller (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) received the ball on the right side of the shooting circle and ran towards the cage for a shot that was kick saved by Ashley Luppens. Clark outran a Hartwick defender to control the loose ball and shot it underneath Luppens' arm, who was directly in front of Clark, for her seventh goal of the season.
Clark and sophomore
Sarah Stadelmann (East Syracuse/East Syracuse Minoa) both had clutch defensive saves to help Leib hold Hartwick scoreless. Clark stopped Jessica Betts' shot at 34:42 in the third period and Stadelmann saved Hope Angioletti's shot from going in at 47:09 in the fourth. Leib saved five shots in the final period as she recorded back-to-back shutout appearances.
Miller, sophomore
Alexandra Howell (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East), and freshman
Skyler Van Wormer (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland) all recorded a shot on goal in the first half that was stopped by Luppens. Luppens ended with three saves then Ava Reynolds played the second half in goal for the Hawks. Hartwick outshot Oneonta 24-5 overall, 16-4 on target, and had a 13-6 advantage in penalty corners.
The Red Dragons wrap up the regular season on Saturday, November 2, at RPI at 1 pm.
