Box Score

UTICA, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team notched a win that will likely bolster its résumé in the weeks to come, as it downed host Utica College, 4-1, in its second and final game at the Utica Tournament on Sunday at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.
 
New Paltz went 2-0 at the Utica Tournament and finished as the lone undefeated team at the event. The Hawks opened the tournament with a 4-2 victory over St. Lawrence University on Saturday.
 
Junior forward Kayla McKeveny (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) finished with two goals against Utica, both of which were the first two markers of the game. In a battle between two teams receiving votes in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) NCAA Division III Preseason Poll, New Paltz finished with the upper hand in shots (26-16) and penalty corners (12-8) in addition to its advantage on the scoreboard.
 
New Paltz rises to 3-0 with the win and faces a tough test next on Wednesday, Sept. 9, as nationally-ranked Montclair State University visits the North Turf Field for a 4 p.m. contest that will serve as the Hawks' home opener. Utica drops to 1-2 with the loss and visits the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute next on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m.
 
McKeveny put the Hawks on the board in the 33rd minute, as she beat a pack of Utica defenders and used a back-hand chip to score the game's first goal. Just 43 seconds into the second half, McKeveny struck again to give the Hawks a 2-0 advantage, but the Pioneers countered minutes later with a score from sophomore forward/midfielder Maria Orsino.
 
With New Paltz applying offensive pressure, sophomore forward Sam Eberle (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg) cashed in on a feed from senior midfielder Dani Ackerman (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) off a penalty corner in the 47th minute, while freshman forward Serena Capsello (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) buried her first collegiate goal in the 55th minute to add insurance to the Hawks' cause.
 
Senior goalkeeper Alayna Wageman (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville North) turned aside 14 shots in the victory, while her counterpart, senior Kells Casey, made 10 saves. Notably, Utica finished with five defensive saves, three of which came from senior defender Jessica Smith.