CANTON, N.Y. -- The Oneonta field hockey team secured their first win of the season in a 4-1 victory over Utica University, Saturday afternoon. Junior
Alexandra Howell (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) scored two goals in the victory and freshman
Isabella Cunha (Carle Place, NY/Carle Place) recorded her first collegiate goal. The Red Dragons improved to 1-1 on the season and the Pioneers dropped to 0-1.
Oneonta got out of the gates early and put their first goal on the board at 5:00. Sophomore
Marissa Stephan (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) had the ball in the corner and sent a pass into the arc to sophomore
Nina Contrera (Rochester, NY/Hilton). Contrera dished it to Cunha, who ripped it into the left side of the cage while Howell screened off the goalie from seeing the shot.
At 12:35, the Red Dragons extended their lead on a penalty corner. Graduate student
Caitlyn Caulfield (Albany, N.Y./Guilderland) received the ball off the corner and took a shot that was saved by Utica's keeper, Ismiah ChinQuee. After a fight for the rebound the ball bounced out towards Howell and she fired one past a couple Pioneer defenders for the goal.
In the final minute of the first half, Oneonta turned it into a three-goal game. Junior
Abigail Draper (Remsen, NY/Holland Patent) had the ball at the 25-yard line and lasered it into the arc to Howell for a shot that went past a diving ChinQuee and in for the score.
With less than a minute left in the third quarter, the Red Dragons earned a penalty stroke chance and had Caulfied take the shot. Caulfield, who scored a couple of penalty strokes last season, stepped up and rifled it into the left side of cage to give Oneonta a 4-0 advantage.
Utica had their lone goal scored by Samantha Young off a penalty corner with seven minutes to play.
Senior
Maura Leib (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa) finished the game with six saves, while ChinQuee ended with eight.
Oneonta outshot Utica 20-8 overall and they held a 19-8 advantage in penalty corners.
The Red Dragons remain on the road for their next game on Wednesday, September 3, as they take on Keuka at 4 pm.
