NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Before heading into the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) postseason, the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team will host cross-river rival Vassar College in the final regular season contest on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m.
RECORDS: New Paltz is 11-6 with a 4-3 mark at home…. Vassar is 11-5 but has lost four straight games.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS (11-6): New Paltz fell at home to Rowan University 4-1 on Wednesday in rainy conditions… The Hawks trailed 3-0 at intermission before junior forward/midfielder
Dani Ackerman broke up the shutout bid in the 59
th minute from a pass by sophomore forward
Kayla McKeveny… Junior goalkeeper
Alayna Wageman made 10 saves… New Paltz held a 10-8 edge in penalty corners… Last season against Vassar, Ackerman tallied one goal and three assists... Ackerman currently leads the SUNYAC in shots (93) and shots per game (5.47).
STATISTICAL LEADERS: Ackerman leads the team with 21 points behind nine goals and three assists… Freshman forward
Justine O'Reilly is tops on the squad with 10 goals… McKeveny has 20 points thanks to seven markers and six helpers… Senior midfielder
Deirdre O'Neill has six goals and six assists… Junior back
Jessica Caruana has a team-high seven assists… Sophomore forward
Erin Landy and senior forward
Alex Gallo have both tallied four goals… Freshman forward
Sam Eberle has notched three scores… Wageman is 11-6 with 91 saves, two shutouts, a 1.86 goals-against average and a .752 save percentage.
TEAM STATISTICS: The Hawks have outscored teams 47-31, holding a 347-205 shots margin… New Paltz owns a 222-131 shots-on-goal edge… The Hawks have attempted 215 penalty corners while allowing just 90… New Paltz has outscored teams 28-16 in the second half.
SCOUTING THE BREWERS (11-5): Vassar is currently the No. 3 seed for the Liberty League playoffs… The Brewers fell at the University of Scranton on Tuesday 4-2… After trailing 3-0, sophomore forward Hayley Beach and senior midfielder Enya Cunningham both tallied second-half goals… Junior goalkeeper Amreen Bhasin made four saves… Vassar has lost three-straight one-goal Liberty League contests, falling at Union College, St. Lawrence University and No. 13 Skidmore College all by 2-1 scores… The Brewers were predicted to finish fifth of seven teams in the 2014 Liberty League Preseason Poll… Junior forward Lauren Wiebe ranks in the top-10 of the Liberty League in shots (52), shots per game (3.71), points (18), points per game (1.29), goals (8), goals per game (.571) and game-winning goals (2)… Bhasin leads the league in GAA (1.17) and shutouts (6).
STATISTICAL LEADERS: Beach and Wiebe lead the team with eight goals and 18 points… Beach has attempted a team-high 54 shots, with 37 on target… Cunningham has notched five goals and five assists for 15 points… Cunningham is 3-for-3 on penalty strokes… Junior forward Haley Merritt has chipped in three goals… Freshman midfielder Storm Sideleau has dished out a team-best six helpers… Four players have two game-winning goals… 10 different players have scored at least one goal… Bhasin is 11-5 with a GAA of 1.17, a .689 save percentage, 42 saves and six shutouts.
TEAM STATISTICS: Vassar has outscored teams 32-19, holding a 288-144 shots margin… The Brewers hold a 181-66 shots-on-goal edge… Vassar has dished out 25 assists… Vassar holds a 146-78 edge in penalty corners… The Brewers are 3-for-3 in penalty strokes… Vassar has outscored opponents 14-8 in the first half and 16-9 in the second period.
LAST MEETING: Ackerman's five points propelled the Hawks to 5-1 win over Vassar when these two teams last met on Oct. 31, 2013.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Hawks have earned the No. 3 seed in the SUNYAC playoffs and will play at No. 2 seed Oneonta on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.... Vassar will prepare for the Liberty League postseason.
