The women’s soccer team concluded their season by dropping their last two matches against a pair of conference foes.
The Hawks finish their 2016 season with a record of 1-15-2. This is the most losses in a season New Paltz has endured since their 2001 campaign, when they went a winless 0-18, in a forfeit season.
First the Hawks fell to SUNY Fredonia 2-0 on Friday, Oct. 21 and then were shutout again 2-0 to No. 22 Buffalo State the following day.
“The positive that came out of the weekend was that on Saturday they played amazing,” Hawks head coach Colleen Bruley said. “We gave up two goals in the first half but we held them scoreless in the second half. They just played really inspired and really fired up.”
Fourth-year captain Sloane Lipshie will not return to the team next season due to graduation. She served as a captain this season, as well as serving as a co-captain last season. Lipshie appeared in all but one game as a Hawk played during her collegiate career.
Fellow fourth-years Sophie Constantino, Skye Kaler, Katie Mulry and Hannah Moran will also not be back next season. Kaler finished her collegiate career with seven goals, while Lipshie notched five during her four seasons. Mulry, Constantino and Moran finished their careers with four, two and one goals, respectively.
“I’ll look back on my four years as a collegiate athlete with no regrets,” Mulry said. “I loved every second of representing New Paltz. A few years from now, I won’t remember the wins or the losses we had. I’ll remember the people I had the privilege of calling my teammates and best friends.”
Although the Hawks are still seeking their first appearance in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament since 2012, Mulry sees a bright future for this team.
“The future for the team can only go up from here,” she said. “We’re leaving behind a great core of players that know what a disappointing season feels like. I have full confidence that they will work so hard to make sure it never happens again. Every one of my younger teammates is extremely capable of making next season a very successful one.”