Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Junior forward Chelsea Weir (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) scored an early second-half goal to lift the State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer team past non-conference Skidmore College, 1-0, in the 2014 opener for the Hawks on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field as a part of the fourth-annual Michelle Vargas-Robin Memorial Tournament.
 The match was scoreless in the first half until New Paltz found the back of the net in the 47th minute. Senior defender Bryce Kristall (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) lofted a set-piece pass into the box that found the head of Weir to give the Hawks the 1-0 edge. That lead would stand up down the stretch, and although the Thoroughbreds almost knotted the game late in the action when junior forward Arena Manning's shot hit the crossbar in the 83rd minute, New Paltz was able to hang on for the season-opening victory.

New Paltz rises to 1-0 and closes out action at the Michelle Vargas-Robin Memorial Tournament tomorrow at 12 p.m. against SUNY Cobleskill. Cobleskill fell to Rutgers University-Newark, 5-0, in Saturday's 2:30 p.m. match. Skidmore falls to 0-2 overall and next hosts Farmingdale State College on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m.

New Paltz outshot Skidmore, 16-11, and held a 6-3 corner kick advantage. Weir and senior midfielder Sarah Painter (Blue Point, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) both recorded four shots apiece to lead the offensive attack.

Freshman defender Julia Friedman (Centerport, N.Y./Harborfields) registered three shots, while junior midfielder Kristina Gandolfo (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) notched two shots off the bench.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Katelyn Cordero (Airmont, N.Y./Suffern) made three saves for the clean sheet in her first collegiate match.