Box Score New Paltz, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's lacrosse team couldn't capitalize on enough chances and turned the ball over too often on the other end, prompting visiting SUNY Geneseo (10-4 overall, 6-0 SUNYAC) to get ahead and ultimately claim a 20-7 victory Saturday over the Hawks (8-5, 4-3).

"We really talked about the team cohesiveness of making our plays," said SUNY New Paltz coach Keith Detelj. "We can't have one player show up for five minutes and another player show up for five minutes. We all have to be on the same page at the same time and capitalize on our opportunities. That is the main thing. We were having people make plays and not capitalizing because four or five group of players weren't on the same page as them." 
The Knights held possession on their offensive end for most of the game, including in the opening minutes. However, the Hawks were given a standout performance by first-year goalie Haley Timarky. The sophomore made four-straight stops in the opening minutes, including a great save low on Geneseo's first free position opportunity of the game.

The Knights fought for extra possessions throughout the outing and answered off a caused turnover on an attempted clear by SUNY New Paltz following a long offensive possession, which resulted in another Timarky save. Following a save off another free position by Timarky, the Knights scooped up the rebound and put away the game's first goal.

Geneseo added another about a minute later, taking advantage of a Hawks turnover in transition to score a fast-break goal with about 26 minutes left in the half. SUNY New Paltz cut the deficit in half about two minutes later on its very first offensive possession. Tara Bovich earned a free position on a push call in the arc and was given the second hash for the free shot, burying the opportunity to get her team on the board.

The Knights started opening the game up in the following minutes, scoring four-straight goals to push the advantage, 6-1 with about 18 minutes left. The Hawks established possession on their offensive half five times during that span, but only tallied four shots with three turnovers. Bovich finally added to SUNY New Paltz's point total midway through the half after forcing a turnover on the Hawks' ride, picking up the ground ball close to the 12-meter fan and ripping a shot top-right pipe for her second goal of the game. A turnover on the ensuing possession by SUNY New Paltz led to another Geneseo goal, with the Knights adding another about two minutes later before SUNY New Paltz cut the deficit, 8-3 with about eight minutes left in the half. Tara Bovich, working behind the cage, sent a nice feed to a cutting Jenny O'Leary, who took her momentum forward and registered her first goal of the game.

The offense stopped there for the Hawks, while the Knights put up five more before the halftime whistle sounded to secure a running clock once the second period began. SUNY New Paltz couldn't work out of the large deficit, adding four more goals, but without allowing eight more from SUNY Geneseo, resulting in the 13-point loss.

"I think it was a struggle to adjust the whole game and that's why we couldn't really grasp a lot of momentum and that's again, whether or not all 12 players are trying to make that change or 17 for that matter," Detelj said. "Our whole team, but the 12 players that are on the field that are making those choices at that time, they have to be the ones that make the momentum change. Not just two or three of them."

The Knights held the advantage on shots (37-19), ground balls (17-15) and draw controls (16-10). Timarky finished with a season-high 14 saves in the game, while Bovich led the Hawks offensively with two goals and an assist. Rachael Purtell followed with two goals, both coming in the second half, while Hofer added a goal and an assist.

"Obviously when we play that much defense it is not a good thing," Detelj said. "Our attack needs to be a bit more mobile and valuing the ball, and taking a little bit more pressure off Haley, so she doesn't have to have that huge, huge game for us to win games, and the defense too. When you don't show up with 12 players on the field this is what kind of happens."

Next up for SUNY New Paltz is SUNYAC undefeated SUNY Cortland Wednesday on the North Turf Field at 4 p.m.  To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.