Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team entered halftime with a 1-0 lead and led for most of the second half, but two goals for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the final 10 minutes of play lifted the visiting Engineers to a 2-1 victory over the Hawks on Wednesday in a non-conference contest at the North Turf Field.
 
Senior midfielder Dani Ackerman (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) scored the Hawks' lone goal of the game, and in doing so, she registered her 96th career point. That eclipses the program's former all-time record of 95, which was set by Danielle Conklin from 2010-13.
 
New Paltz falls to 12-4 overall and next entertains Kean University on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in its regular-season home finale at 4 p.m. RPI rises to 9-5 and next visits Vassar College on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m.
 
RPI controlled the tempo for most of the game, finishing with a 25-12 edge in shots and a 15-7 cushion in penalty corners.
 
After the Engineers were unable to cash in on their offensive opportunities in the first half, New Paltz got on the board first, as Ackerman blasted a penalty-corner feed from junior forward Kayla McKeveny (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) into the back of the cage in the 30th minute. That stood as the halftime margin despite RPI holding a 9-5 advantage in shots in the first half.
 
Early on in the second half, the Hawks began to see numerous offensive chances, only to see the RPI defense keep the deficit at one goal. The tables turned midway through the period, however, and the Engineers finally cashed in during the 61st minute, as senior midfielder Celia D'Agostino scored off a feed from senior forward Hana Murphy off a penalty corner. Just 4:14 later, RPI received the go-ahead goal from sophomore back Mekayla Wakeman, who scored from the top of the circle off a penalty-corner insertion by freshman midfielder Casey Collette. New Paltz was unable to answer in the waning moments of the contest, and RPI escaped with the 2-1 win.
 
Senior goalkeeper Alayna Wageman (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville North) stood tall in the loss, making 13 saves, while her counterpart, freshman goalkeeper Rachel Kaufman, turned aside five shots in the victory. RPI received defensive saves from sophomore midfielder Kate Batzinger and sophomore back Mac Reininger.