By Amy Whitman
NEW PALTZ – For the first time in program history, the Hawks perch atop league standings entering postseason play.
The State University of New York New Paltz defeated the Oswego Lakers in an emphatic ending to its regular season schedule. Avenging last year’s postseason overtime loss against the Lakers, the Hawks netted four unanswered goals in the 90 minutes, while having placed eight total shots on frame. Oswego, however, could not generate the same offensive success and only shot twice the whole match.
“This game truly showed the hard work this team put in this season,” said SUNY New Paltz senior midfielder Alexis DeLeo. “We have been working on our services a lot and making those back post runs and I think our team has done a great job of finding it wide and doing just that.”
The victory also solidified the Hawks the No. 1 seed heading into the conference’s postseason tournament. They boast an impressive 8-0-1 conference record after having scored eight more goals than SUNY Cortland to edge out the Red Dragons for the sought-after top spot. The seeding results marks the first time in SUNY New Paltz women’s soccer history that the team has clinched the No. 1 spot heading into postseason play.
The Lakers were the first to try and score and in the 13th minute, Oswego soared a ball across the 18-yard box. Keeper Maddie Franklin came out of net and deflected the ball out of the box where midfielder Laney Schmitz cleared out of the zone. The Lakers earned a free kick a minute later, but Franklin took down the lofted ball to end Oswego’s threat.
The Hawks soon followed with their first offensive attempt. In the 27th minute, DeLeo stripped her defender of the ball and laid a shot on goal, but the Lakers goalkeeper did well to come out to make the initial save. The rebound bounced inside the box at the feet of Gaby Treble who tried to follow through, but her shot flew over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Rachel Eisert went down hard to draw a free kick for SUNY New Paltz. Deleo lined up to fire a shot from just outside the box, but her try was blocked by a wall of Oswego defenders.
Moments after, Treble beat her own defender and fired a shot, but it was rebounded off Oswego defenders. The ball landed in the box, where Eisert struck the ball toward the opposite side of net, but her try was knocked out of bounds by a diving Lakers goalie. Off the ensuing corner, Emma Voege tried to serve the cross to Eisert for a header, but the senior’s attempt was blocked by Oswego’s backline.
However, Eisert’s moment was awaiting.
In the 26th minute, Eisert found empty space 25 yards out, and blasted a shot into the top shelf of the net. The Hawks had secured the upper hand over the Lakers, and despite multiple attempts to extend the lead they ended the first half with Eisert’s sole goal, up 1-0.
To start the second, they executed a solid set piece in the 50th minute when Mia Baldinger fed Eisert in the box. Despite being covered tightly by two defenders, Eisert got free and lofted a shot toward the net, but the attempt ricocheted off the crossbar and back in the box. The SUNY New Paltz frontline tried to get another shot off, but a high kick call against the Hawks ceased the set.
Eight minutes later, Oswego got their first opportunity on goal, as it earned a free kick opportunity just left of the 18-yard box after a foul committed by Schmitz. However, Schmitz would soon make up for the call, as the junior cleared the ball out of SUNY New Paltz’s defensive third before the Lakers could land a touch off the kick.
Ten minutes after Oswego’s free kick, a handball call in the box set up SUNY New Paltz for its next golden opportunity.
Deleo stepped up to take the penalty and aimed the shot toward the right corner. The ball dinged off of the post before it found the back of the net for the Hawks’ second of the match. On a roll, SUNY New Paltz could not be stopped offensively.
In the 70th minute, Baldinger dribbled up and got shifty in the box, as she easily weaved through the Laker’s backline and struck the ball into the back of the cage as she fell to the ground just outside of the six-yard box. Up 3-0, Baldinger gave the Hawks the cushion they needed to coast through the 20 minutes remaining.
But SUNY New Paltz wasn’t done yet.
In the 85th minute, midfielder Ashley O’Hara lofted a perfect service up to forward Kennedy Jones. At the top left corner of the box, Jones used her left foot to curve a shot into the back right corner of the net. The goal earned Jones her third of the season and gave O’Hara her first career assist.
“We have really been tightening up our craft and have been learning to be more creative more,” Wellinger said. “We were able to try new things, we looked for the second option [this game] and we weren’t simple or predictable.”
With little time left on the clock, Oswego could not respond and the match ended in a 4-0 shutout.
“This is my third year here and we have never been in the top spot, we have always been third or lower, so this is really exciting,” Wellinger said. “It is a testament of what we have been working towards and it is the most competitive season we’ve had so far, not only with our teammates pushing us in practice, but also pushing to our best level in SUNYAC play.”
All four of SUNY New Paltz’s goals came from different scorers. Eisert, DeLeo, Baldinger, and Jones all recorded a goal each, and O’Hara dished out the match’s only assist.
The Hawks’ first SUNYAC postseason matchup will be on Nov 2. The opponent and time are TBD.
“Being a senior, it feels awesome to be the first seed going into the postseason and I know my classmates feel the exact same way,” DeLeo said. “Our leaders have done a great job at getting us to this point and I think our entire team is on board with our process. We are ready to tackle this postseason play.”