Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – It truly was the tale of two halves in a non-conference contest against Utica College Saturday at the Turf Field, as the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team turned a 2-0 halftime deficit into a 4-2 victory after scoring all of its goals in the second half.

Utica finished the first half with a 13-6 edge in shots and pushed the score to 2-0 just 1:34 before the intermission. The beginning of the second stanza saw partly cloudy skies give way to rain, and as the precipitation intensified, so did the Hawks' game. Junior back Jessica Caruana (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) blasted a penalty-corner feed from senior midfielder Deirdre O'Neill (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South) into the back of the cage at 39:53 to put New Paltz on the board, and just minutes later, the game was delayed due to a thunderstorm.

Following a break that lasted approximately 45 minutes, the Hawks picked up where they left off—this time under sunny skies—and added three more goals to complete the comeback victory. New Paltz dominated play all throughout the second half, holding a 14-1 margin in shots while outgaining Utica, 12-0, in penalty corners during that span.

New Paltz rises to 3-0 and next faces perennial power Montclair State University on the road on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. Utica drops to 2-1 and hosts Hartwick College next in its home and conference opener on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m.

Utica's senior forward Louise Steele-Norton opened scoring at 8:40, receiving a pass from senior forward Chasity Eckert on a 2-on-1 rush before depositing the ball into the cage. After a scoreless stretch for both teams, the Pioneers added to their total with an unassisted goal from senior midfielder Adriana Surprenant at 33:26, who blasted a long shot from the top right-hand side of the circle.

Following the thunderstorm-forced delay, junior forward/midfielder Dani Ackerman (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) tied the game in the 44th minute, knocking in a pass from sophomore forward Erin Landy (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central). O'Neill scored her first goal of the season at 49:28, collecting a rebound off an Ackerman shot and burying the ball into the back of the cage to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead. Finally, Landy gave New Paltz insurance in the 67th minute, scoring off a ball dumped into the circle by Caruana.

New Paltz finished with a 20-14 cushion in shots and a 19-5 edge in penalty corners.

Junior goalkeeper Alayna Wageman (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville North) earned the win in goal for the Hawks, making six stops, while her counterpart, Kells Casey, saved eight shots in the loss for Utica.