Box Score Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's lacrosse team (1-1) fell to Ramapo College (1-2) by an 8-5 margin on Monday afternoon in non-conference action at the Turf Field. The contest was New Paltz's first home game of the 2012 regular season.

The Hawks could not continue their scoring pace established Wednesday against Mount Saint Mary College, where they scored 21 goals to maintain considerable distance from their opponent. On Monday, Ramapo held the Hawks in check, only allowing one first-half goal for the home team, which came courtesy of senior attack player Samantha DelGaudio (Northport, N.Y./Northport). DelGaudio would end the afternoon with four goals on seven shot attempts. Freshman defender Jenna Watson (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) scored the other New Paltz marker.

New Paltz's defensive effort kept the game from getting out of hand on many occasions. The Hawks won the ground ball battle (26-18), caused more turnovers (10-2) and earned a hefty majority of the draw controls (12-3). On clear attempts, New Paltz went 13-for-16, while Ramapo was 19-for-26.

Freshman midfielder Lianne Valdivia (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) scooped up a game-high six ground balls, while Watson and junior attack player Erin Tornatore (Glen Cove, N.Y./North Shore) each caused two turnovers. Tornatore and freshman midfielder Carissa Citro (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) controlled four draws apiece.

The Roadrunners slowed down the pace on many occasions, with multiple possessions seeing Ramapo hold the ball for more than a minute without making an attempt at goal. The strategy also seemed to strategically rest Ramapo's on-field players, as only the starting 12 saw action in the contest.

Ramapo's Amanda Barretta led all players in goals scored and shots taken, succeeding on five of her 11 attempts. Adrianna Tepedino paced the Roadrunner ground ball effort, corralling five. Colleen Steel, Lindsey Jachens and Itati Aburto followed her closely, each controlling three ground balls apiece.

After one half, Ramapo boasted a healthy 6-1 lead, but a DelGaudio rip twenty seconds into the second half showed the Hawks intended on a comeback. Colleen Steel recovered the five-goal lead just three minutes later, and the two teams traded markers in the coming minutes. DelGaudio scored again with 16:18 to play, but the Hawks still trailed by an 8-4 margin. The senior attack player scored the next and final goal with 3:13 to go in regulation before the Hawks succumbed to the Roadrunners' grinding style of play and a three-point margin of defeat.

New Paltz faces a quick turnaround, hosting Smith College on Wednesday, March 14 at 4 p.m., continuing the preparation for a difficult State University of New York at New Paltz Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) schedule.