On March 2, SUNY New Paltz women’s lacrosse set records throughout their match with Mount Saint Mary’s College (MSMC). The team had just returned from two victories against Hartwick and Utica, continuing their reign and demonstrating their skill with another win this time around. In fact, by the first half of the game, SUNY New Paltz was leading 13-0, and by the end of the game, Mount Saint Mary’s had only scored twice. This set a new record for the second fewest goals given up in program history, when it was tied with last year’s game against MSMC.
In addition, various career performance records were set during the match, where players including sisters Morgan and Lexi Atwater showed out. Morgan Atwater, midfield, finished with five points, four goals and one assist, setting a program record high of 10 ground balls. Lexi Atwater, midfield, set her personal career high with six goals and three ground balls, proving not only the excellence of the team but also of the individual athletes themselves.
SUNY New Paltz won the opening possession, yet took their time on offense, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. After a few shots towards the goal, Morgan Atwater secured the first point on the board for her team only 65 seconds into the game. Her sister Lexi Atwater followed up shortly after with two quick goals for New Paltz, and by the time MSMC gained their first possession, the scoreboard already read 4-0 at roughly 12 minutes into the match’s first quarter. However, Morgan Atwater shined once more and returned the ball back to SUNY New Paltz through a defensive play on a batted pass, providing the team with another goal by Mia Baldinger, midfield.
By the end of the first quarter, SUNY New Paltz was up 8-0, but managed to tack on two more goals early in the second, pushing the score to 10-0. Quickly following the momentum, New Paltz claimed another three goals to set the score at 13-0 by the halftime break.
Over the course of the third quarter, the Hawks continued to pave their path to victory and gained another six points, leading at 19-0. MSMC didn’t manage to score their first goal until two-and-a-half minutes into the fourth quarter, but players Samantha DeLucca, attack, and Kira Tucker, midfield, followed up with two more goals, capping the scoring for the Hawks. The game finished with a score of 21-2, with the Hawks claiming the victory.
Individual players set their own records by the end of the match. Kaitlyn Shaw, midfield, added six goals and registered over six six-goal games in her time for the team, becoming the first in program history to do so. Mia Baldinger also finished the game with a high of eight points through two goals and six assists, setting a team and career record and tying for third most in the entire program’s history. The Hawks continue to prove their talent and hard work both on and off the field, and they will return March 16 for a home game on North Turf Field against SUNY Maritime College at 2 p.m.