Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – A three-goal surge in the final 10 minutes of regulation helped lead the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team to a 4-0 season-opening win over non-conference Western Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon at the Turf Field.
 Senior midfielder Deirdre O'Neill (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South) finished the day with three assists, tying the single-game program record in the statistical category. Junior back Jessica Caruana (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) and junior forward/midfielder Dani Ackerman (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) got involved multiple times offensively, too, with Caruana notching one goal and two assists and Ackerman burying two goals.

New Paltz controlled the tempo for the majority of the game, but for most of the second half, Western Connecticut stayed within a goal of the Hawks. A 15-minute yellow card infraction by the Colonials ultimately allowed New Paltz to add insurance to the lead, and the Hawks scored three goals in a span of 4:51 in the waning minutes of play to emerge victorious.

The Hawks start the season 1-0 and next visit William Paterson University on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. Western Connecticut begins the 2014 campaign at 0-1 and looks to reach the win column on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. at Elms College.

Ackerman put New Paltz on the board in the 26th minute, using passes from O'Neill and Caruana on a penalty-corner attempt to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. The O'Neill-to-Caruana connection led to New Paltz's second goal, which came at 63:19, with sophomore forward Kayla McKeveny (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) tipping the ball in to register the score. O'Neill found the stick of Ackerman in the 66th minute, who buried the ball into the back of the cage, and 2:09 later, Caruana cashed in on a penalty-stroke opportunity to round out scoring for the afternoon.

New Paltz dominated the stat sheet, holding a 21-5 edge in shots and a 21-3 cushion in penalty corners. The Hawks limited the Colonials to just one shot in the second half.

Junior goalkeeper Alayna Wageman (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville North) earned the shutout win for New Paltz, making two stops, while her counterpart, sophomore Kristy Trotta, made 11 saves. Western Connecticut's sophomore back Erica Tanuis and New Paltz's junior back Kelsey Fleury (Augusta, N.J./High Point Regional) each came up with a defensive save.