Box Score NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's lacrosse team gave No. 19 SUNY Fredonia all it could handle in a defensive skirmish on Saturday afternoon in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game at the Old Turf Field, but the nationally-ranked Blue Devils escaped with a 7-5 victory.
Among numerous standout performers for the Hawks, senior goalkeeper
Jackie Ulanoff (Northport, N.Y./Northport) played the game of her life, stopping a career-high 22 shots and fashioning a .759 save percentage. Ulanoff's 22 saves are tied for the third most in a single game in program history. Ulanoff entered the afternoon with a .418 save percentage on the season, and she concluded the day with a .462 save percentage.
New Paltz falls to 2-7 overall (1-4 SUNYAC) with the loss and continues its four-game home stand on Tuesday, April 14, at 4:30 p.m. against Vassar College. Fredonia rises to 10-2 overall (3-1 SUNYAC) and hosts SUNY Geneseo next on Tuesday, April 14, in a battle of nationally-ranked teams at 4 p.m.
In a game where scoring came at a premium, just 12 goals were scored between the two teams. In fact, there was a 30-minute stretch from the end of the first half through the beginning of the second half where neither team found the back of the net.
Fredonia got on the board just 1:22 into the contest, as graduate student midfielder Katie Kleine scored unassisted. Senior attacker
Kelsey Healy (Central Islip, N.Y./Bay Shore) cashed in on a pass from junior midfielder
Alexa Vitale (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall Central) just 1:06 later to tie the game at 1-all, and Vitale scored unassisted five minutes later to give the Hawks a 2-1 advantage.
The Blue Devils tightened the screws on their prolific attack the next few minutes of the game, using a four-goal spurt that lasted 3:13 to gain a 5-2 advantage. That stretch wound up being the difference in the game, though the two teams entered the intermission with Fredonia up, 5-2.
After several minutes of the second half where the Hawk defense stood on its head, Healy scored directly off a pass from senior midfielder
Carissa Citro (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) to draw New Paltz within two. Fredonia, however, netted two unanswered goals, the second of which came with a woman-up opportunity with just 3:13 left. Citro took matters into her own hands on the ensuing draw, winning the draw control before sprinting directly to goal and beating the Blue Devil goalkeeper. Less than a minute later, senior midfielder
Lianne Valdivia (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) scored unassisted to bring the Hawks within two. Fredonia called a timeout with 1:46 left, and from that point forward, the Blue Devils used precision passing to run the clock out and seal the win.
Fredonia held the upper hand in shots (35-14) and draw controls (8-6) in addition to going 9-for-9 on clear attempts.
Healy led the Hawk attack with two goals, while Vitale, Citro and Valdivia each scored once. Valdivia helped New Paltz gain possession with five ground balls, while senior defender
Julia Johnson (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) caused two turnovers.
For Fredonia, sophomore midfielder Kristie Kleine and sophomore attacker Emily Polizzi each scored twice, while senior midfielder Marissa Cussins, Katie Kleine and sophomore attacker Sam Owen all found the back of the net once. Katie Kleine was instrumental in the victory, finishing with seven ground balls, four draw controls and three caused turnovers.
Freshman goalkeeper Nicole Burrows earned the win in between the pipes for the Blue Devils, making six saves.
