UTICA, N.Y. -- The SUNY Oneonta field hockey team started the year off strong with a pair of wins at the Utica University Tournament, defeating Utica, 2-1, and St. Lawrence, 3-2, in double overtime. Graduate student Michaela Maniscalco (Northport, N.Y./Northport) and sophomore Alexandra Howell (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) led the Red Dragons over the Pioneers in their season opener on Friday afternoon, then on Saturday junior Molly Miller (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) scored twice in regulation against the Saints then freshman Skyler Van Wormer (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland) recorded the game-winning goal with 2:30 left in double overtime. Oneonta begins their season 2-0 while both Utica and St. Lawrence start 0-2.  

Oneonta 2, Utica 1
Oneonta had pressure on Utica early in the first period and broke the scoreless tie at 5:29. Sophomore Abigail Draper (Remsen, NY/Holland Patent) took the penalty corner and passed it out front to graduate student Erin Clark (Somers, N.Y./Somers). Clark gave a quick touch pass to the left side to Maniscalco who shot the ball past Pioneer's goalie Hanna Young's stick for Oneonta's first goal of the season. Utica recorded back-to-back shots on net in the second period, but junior Maura Leib (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa) made a diving effort to save the shots and maintain the 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

The Pioneers tied the game at 34:05 when Alanna Fragapane scored off a pass from Alyssa Pisano. Oneonta regained the lead off another penalty corner at 37:41. Draper sent the ball out front to Howell who fired it past a couple of Pioneer defenders and Young for the goal. Leib recorded a couple saves in the final moments of the third period to maintain the Red Dragons lead into the fourth. Utica tallied a couple shots in the fourth, but both were off the mark and Oneonta held onto the win.

Leib finished with four saves for the Red Dragons while Young stopped seven shots for the Pioneers.   

Oneonta outshot Utica 16-13, 9-5 on target, and had a 17-11 advantage in penalty corners.  

Oneonta 3, St. Lawrence 2
St. Lawrence's goalie Elizabeth Walsh saved a pair of shots from Draper and Howell in the early minutes of the first period, while Leib made a couple stops in the final minutes of the first to keep the game scoreless. Oneonta took the lead at 26:19 in the second period. Maniscalco passed the ball inside the striking circle and had it bounce off the sticks of Van Wormer and a Saints defender towards Miller. Miller got the ball on the left side baseline and scored on the far side of the net, her first goal with the team.  

Miller extended the Red Dragon lead and tallied her second goal of the contest at 39:01 after she fought for possession of the ball in front of the goal and shot it past Walsh into the left side of the cage. St. Lawrence tied the game with two late goals in the third period from Maddy Shaw and Caroline Hamilton. Neither team could break the tie in regulation, so they went into overtime.

In the first overtime period, Van Wormer and Howell each had a chance to win the game but were stopped by Walsh. Leib recorded five saves to keep Oneonta in the contest and forced a second overtime period.  

With 2:30 to play in the second overtime, Van Wormer scored the game-winner. Draper passed the penalty corner out to Howell who dished it to Maniscaclo for a shot. Maniscalco's shot was saved, bounced towards Draper for another shot attempt that was blocked and popped up into the air where Van Wormer hit the ball into the net for the win and her first collegiate goal.  

Both Leib and Walsh finished with 12 saves. St. Lawrence outshot Oneonta 26-22 while the Red Dragons had a 15-14 advantage in shots on target and a 9-7 edge in penalty corners.  

Oneonta is back in action on Wednesday, September 4, for their first home game of the season against Keuka at 4 pm on All College Field. Read Full Article