New Paltz Women’s soccer walked away from this past weekend with two victories, winning 2-0 against Potsdam on Friday, Oct. 1 and 2-1 against Plattsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 2.
The weekend of wins came after a devastating weekend of losses where the team lost against Geneseo and Brockport.
The Hawks started the Potsdam game hungry for the win they missed out on the week prior. The first ball to find the back of the net from the Hawks was scored by third-year forward Ally Donovan in the 13 minute of play. A ball played over the Potsdam defense by first-year Parris Burke set up Donovan in a one-on-one with the keeper, where she slotted the ball in the far lower corner. It was her first goal of the year.
The second goal was scored by first-year midfielder Rachel Eisert in minute 79 after she dribbled past four defenders to slot the ball in the lower corner of the goal. She is the team’s leading goal scorer with five goals put away so far this season.
The team took a total of 18 shots with 11 on frame, as well as adding on six corners.
“When we were on the field, we were able to find and connect good passes that got around the back line and created good opportunities for us,” said first-year starting defender Maggie Cameron.
After securing their first three SUNYAC points of the year, it was time for the Hawks to take on the No. 5 regionally ranked Plattsburgh Cardinals.
Third-year defender Jess Funke scored the first goal of the game, and of her season, in minute 21– a header into the net off of a corner kick by graduate student midfielder Lisette Palomo. A little over 10 minutes later in the 31st minute, third-year forward Siena Diaz-Colon rocketed a ball into the back of the net from over 45 yards out. It was Diaz-Colon’s second goal of the season and put the Hawks up 2-0 going into halftime.
Plattsburgh fired back in the 5oth minute, scoring off of a PK, making the score 2-1. The game was hard fought on both sides, but the Hawks came out victorious with a final score of 2-1 earning them three more points in the SUNYAC tournament.
It was the first time the Hawks beat the Cardinals since 2014 and the first time they beat them at Plattsburgh in more than two decades. It was the first loss the Cardinals had taken in the SUNYAC tournament and the second loss of their season.
“After the team felt what it was like to go home with zero points, we knew we couldn’t do that again,” Cameron said. “After we won, it was such an amazing feeling and we know we can continue our success.”
The Hawks play a non-conference make-up game against Vassar on Wednesday, Oct. 6 and play their next SUNYAC matchup against Oneonta on Saturday, Oct. 9.
A special shoutout goes to Jess Funke who won SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Week after her games this past weekend.
