New Paltz, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team ended a two-game losing skid Wednesday with a 5-1 rout of visiting RPI (0-5) to improve to 3-2 on the season.

"It felt wonderful," said Hawks freshman forward Jamie Wagner, who led her team with two goals on the afternoon. "I feel like this really was a game-changer for us. We went [up] against a couple hard teams earlier on this season and this our fourth game, and I think we've grown so much and it's been good."

SUNY New Paltz didn't waste any time getting on the board, as freshman Natasia Plunkett found the back of the net just two minutes into the game. The opening score started with Carly Croteau, as the senior won a 50-50 ball inside the circle, with Plunkett the beneficiary on the play. Plunkett found the loose ball and buried her shot in the back of the goal. 
Rachel Beam then registered her first goal of the season as time winded down in the first quarter. She corralled the ball in front of the goal and put her shot away for the score. Shannon Bernhardt was credited with the assist on the play. Bernhardt then tallied a goal of her own, which started off a corner played in. SUNY New Paltz kept the ball in the circle after a couple initial attempts on goal with Bernhardt finally winning the ball from an Engineers defender and capitalizing with a score.

The third quarter went scoreless, but Wagner helped the Hawks pile on two more in the final 15 minutes to solidify the convincing win.

With about 11 minutes left in the game, Wagner earned a corner for her team that she played in to Jessica Ascencao. Ascencao laid off a pass to Bernhardt who took an attempt on goal. RPI goalie Jen Richardson made the initial save, but with Wagner and senior Sophia Urrutia in front, the duo won the ball back with Wagner poking her shot past Richardson for the goal.

Wagner added another about four minutes later, again off a corner. She played the initial ball in to Ascencao, who passed it off to Erin Weinmann. Weinmann played the ball in front of goal, finding Wagner who lifted her shot by Richardson once more for the goal.

"I just remember that beforehand, maybe five minutes before, I almost got a goal and I was just so mad," recalled Wagner. "I said, 'next time, I'm getting that ball and I am shooting it in,' so I guess I did that."

The Engineers responded, however, with their first and only goal to break the shutout less than a minute later. Charisse Stakutis found herself on a breakaway, one-v-one with SUNY New Paltz goalie Ryan Dowling. Stakutis won the matchup and slotted her shot past Dowling for the goal.  

The Hawks held the advantage on shots (35-13), shots on goal (28-10) and corners (13-4) in the game. Wagner and Ascencao each tallied five shots, followed by Gunter, Plunkett and Christina Pedone with four apiece. Dowling earned the win, totaling eight saves. Richardson, meanwhile, registered 22 saves for RPI.

"I think we need to focus on making sure that defensively we are taking away our direct ball line to goal and providing depth defensively, and being patient and poised and getting in good position, so we can slow down the transition," said Hawks coach Shanna Szablinski following the win. "That is one of the big things. The second thing is just being able to possess and get out of congestion. That is something we need to be much better at with creating two-v-one's all over the field."

SUNY New Paltz is back on the road this weekend with another tough matchup, as it takes on St. John Fisher College, which beat the Hawks last season, 5-4.

"I think we really need to go hard. We need to be 100 percent committed in everything. St. John Fisher is a great team and we need to bring our A-game," Wagner said. "We just came off a win and that momentum will carry through to get us a win."

And for everything #NPHawks be sure to follow on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.