Box Score Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer team (5-2-1, 1-0-0 SUNYAC) kicked off its 2011 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) season with a 2-0 shutout victory over SUNY Cortland (3-4-1, 0-1-0 SUNYAC) on a rainy Friday afternoon at the Turf Field.

Junior goalkeeper Stephanie Vega (Oceanside, N.Y./Baldwin Senior) recorded her fourth shutout of the season, stopping seven of Cortland's 19 shots. With one save of New Paltz's eight shots, Cortland goalkeeper Pam Monnier set a new program record for saves in a career with 264.

The action started off fast-paced, yet controlled, as both teams scrambled for field position. There was not a single shot attempt or foul in the first 11 minutes, 19 seconds. Junior midfielder Beth Bowling (Islip, N.Y./Islip) opened the scoring at 21:32 with a strike off a rebounded blocked shot from junior forward Shelby Kondelka (Bloomingburg, N.Y./Pine Bush) in the box.

The conditions that prompted a relocation of the game from Alumni Field to the Turf Field got worse as the game went on. Both teams drove hard through the rain for scoring chances, but in the end, only the Hawks could cash in.

At 83:04, Kondelka took a pass across the box from senior midfielder Sherri Lajoie (River Edge, N.J./River Dell) and was able to beat the keeper to the left side of the goal, netting her sixth marker of the season and sealing the victory.

The Hawks continue play on Saturday, Sept. 24, when they face off against SUNYAC foe SUNY Oswego at the Turf Field at 1 p.m.