New Paltz, NY – The elation of defeating No. 16 University of Rochester was rising as the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team saw the time tick down from 30 seconds, while holding a 1-0 lead Saturday afternoon. However, the momentum quickly shifted when the visiting Yellowjackets earned a corner with 2.7 seconds remaining following a yellow card given to the Hawks. They ultimately capitalized with the last second opportunity and forced overtime.

Coming into the huddle following a heart-wrenching goal after playing nearly 60 minutes of solid defense, SUNY New Paltz refocused, buckled down and accepted the challenge of overtime playing with a man down. The Hawks withstood the pressure, hitting back any opportunity Rochester had, and although it took about seven minutes longer than they originally anticipated, they came out with a win. Jessica Ascencao made sure with a game-winning stroke to push SUNY New Paltz to a 2-1 victory. 

"I didn't really doubt that we'll put it away," Ascencao said after helping her team to the program's first victory over Rochester. "We dominated most of the game and even in overtime, coming in man-down I still felt like we could do it. We just needed to keep our composure and keep them out of the circle while we waited for that extra man to come in. Once we had it we went and we got it."

Saturday's result gave the Hawks (5-3 overall) their second-straight win after they earned a 4-3 overtime victory Wednesday at home against Skidmore College. Like Saturday, SUNY New Paltz started the extra time with a man-down after a late card. And for the second consecutive game, their defense, led by sophomore goalie Mackenzie Mortimer, was up for the challenge to buckle down, preserve the stalemate and keep SUNY New Paltz in the game.

"They were very poised with a man-down in overtime and they did a good job of handling the ball, and defensively Mack [Mortimer] came up with some pretty big saves that kept us in the game, as well as Jessie [Ascencao] being able to get the ball out wide and clear," said Hawks coach Shanna Szablinski. "Having a big letdown with 2.7 seconds left and getting scored on -- that lack of focus and quickly turning it around it just shows that we were resilient today. Being able to keep composure, knowing that we could have done something a little bit better and not letting that take us down completely into overtime, especially with a man down for five minutes." SUNY New Paltz's defense had one of the best games of the season and was given an early 1-0 advantage just three minutes into the game. Off a corner, Jamie Wagner played the ball in to Shannon Bernhardt, who found Wagner waiting in front of the cage. Wagner turned and lifted her shot past Yellowjackets goalie Kate Kujawa to give her team the early one-goal advantage.

The Hawks held on to the slight cushion the rest of the way with both teams having chances to add to the scoreboard. The most dangerous opportunities came in the second half. Mortimer opened up the third quarter with back-to-back saves off two-straight corners from Rochester. Backed by solid play from Mortimer, the Hawks defense cleared  the ball and transitioned the other way. Wagner had a chance for her second goal of the day, but her shot waned just wide of frame. Midway through the third, Christina Pedone also nearly saw her shot find the back of the net. SUNY New Paltz earned consecutive corners and a long hit in about a two-minute span, resulting in a good look from Pedone, but her shot also careened just inches from goal.

The Yellowjackets kept the pressure on the Hawks in the fourth quarter, especially in the last five minutes playing the majority of the time down on SUNY New Paltz's defensive side. Rochester earned four corners in that span, firing four shots, but again, Mortimer and the Hawks defense held strong.

"I think our defense is really starting to come together and they are doing a really good job of denying opportunities from the get-go, but when they get caught out of position, and that does happen, they work really hard to re-organize and get into great position," Szablinksi said. "That is really hard to do and I think they are really starting to grasp the concepts of getting their body in the right lane and using their feet to get them there. You can see playing a team that attacks like that they did a really great job. They were organized and disciplined and that made a huge difference, absolutely."

SUNY New Paltz managed to clear the ball down to its offensive end with about 20 seconds remaining, but a long pass made with the final ticks on the clock remaining gave Rochester life. Kayla Ahern chased down the Yellowjackets forward and tried getting back in front, but with the attacker having a step, Ahern was forced to foul. She was given a five-minute yellow card and Rochester earned a corner with 2.7 seconds left.

The Yellowjackets played the ball in and on a bounce, Kira Ozer knocked in the goal to tie the score at ones, forcing the game to another 10 minutes. However, the Hawks weren't discouraged when they huddled back up in between periods. They were ready to close out the game.

"They were ready," Szablinski said. "I heard Carly [Croteau] say to them immediately, 'Guys this is our game. We've been working so hard for it. We need to focus it in,' and to have leaders step up immediately before I even have to say anything speaks volumes of what we're trying to do and how we're going about accomplishing having success on the field."

SUNY New Paltz settled in for nearly five minutes before it was even on the field. Mortimer made seven saves in overtime with Ascencao, Bernhardt, Croteau, Courtney Kruzikas and Morgan Gunter keeping the Hawks alive with their defense.  Not long after SUNY New Paltz was at full-strength, it transitioned the other way with Croteau leading the pack. The junior was fouled inside the circle and earned a stroke for her team. Ascenao stepped up and with full conviction, placed the ball perfectly into the bottom left corner to seal the win.
  "We're really excited," Ascencao said. "We know that we're capable of beating nationally ranked teams and being able to do it today when we're not able to do it previous times this season, we're just really excited and we just really feel like we're really proving ourselves. We want to be ranked nationally, so we hope that beating these teams in the future will help us get there."

Mortimer finished with a career-high 12 saves on 15 shots faced. Rochester held the advantage on shots, 17-10, and corners, 13-5, with eight shots and three corners coming in the extra time period.

Next up for SUNY New Paltz is a road matchup against SUNY Oswego Sept. 28, which kicks off State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action. The Hawks are set to take on the Lakers at 4 p.m.

"This is definitely going to move us forward in SUNYAC play," Ascencao added. "We want to go undefeated in SUNYACs and again, beating a nationally ranked team we hope this excitement and this competition just keeps moving forward and we win them all."

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