In the blink of an eye, the summer months have passed us and chilly October has arrived. The New Paltz Women’s soccer team have faced many daunting opponents in the past month and have achieved a triumphant victory almost every time.
With eight wins and only three losses this season, the Hawks are ready for their future opponents. In a recent game against Oneonta on Sept. 28, they secured their win with a score of 4-0. The players started out strong with first-year forward Brooke Kelleher scoring in the first 15 minutes of the game, assisted by second-year midfielder Rachel Eisert.
As time went on, the Hawks seemed to be the only players scoring on the field. At minute 58, second-year midfielder Emma Voege secured the second goal, assisted by second-year defender/midfielder Alexis DeLeo. The match was getting intense, but the Hawks were just warming up. Another shot was scored at minute 69 from second-year forward Parris Burke, assisted by fourth-year midfielder Jillian Dantona.
“Scoring is very new to me,” Burke admitted. “Last year I didn’t score at all and it put a little wedge in my confidence, but it also motivated me to work harder and so did my team.”
The game ended in a shutout, with the final goal from first-year midfielder Mia Baldinger, assisted by Kelleher at minute 86. This victory led the Hawks into their next match with confidence.
On Oct.1, the team trekked to Buffalo State to meet their competition. Within the first nine minutes, the Hawks had secured their first goal from Kelleher, assisted by fourth-year defender/midfielder Katie Buquicchio. Following the score, almost an hour went by until another New Paltz goal goal made its way into the net. At minute 54, Eisert helped the team towards victory with a goal, assisted by fourth-year forward Ally Donovan.
“All in all I think the team has made a huge leap from previous years and that’s all because of the hard work and just what we put our heads at the end of the day,” Burke reflected. “We are one big family and all we want is to work hard for each other and I definitely think it’s paid off!”
Just minutes later, Burke swooped in with a swift shot, assisted by second-year forward Gaby Treble. Towards the end of the game, the opponent made a quick goal, making the final score of the game 3-1.
“It’s always a great feeling to score goals but scoring and winning is more of a team effort than anything else,” Treble stated. “Without our keepers there is no defense, without our defense there is no offense. Knowing I play a part in helping my team succeed, whether it’s scoring or not, is always a great feeling for me personally.”
You can catch the Hawks at their next game this Saturday, Oct. 15 as they face Brockport.
