New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer team came back from a goal down to earn a point in SUNYAC play, battling to a 1-1 double overtime tie against visiting Fredonia State Friday.
 
The Hawks (5-5-2 overall, 3-2-1 SUNYAC) had a sluggish start and the Blue Devils (8-5-2, 3-2-1) took advantage, but came alive in the second half to score the game-tying goal. Both teams had chances down the stretch, but neither could convert resulting in the second tie of the season for SUNY New Paltz.
 
"I think we certainly felt good about the energy we brought into the second half and play with a little bit more pride and purpose than we did in the first half," said Hawks coach Mike Eckberg. "Being down a goal and creating more chances, hitting the cross bar and creating a lot of different set pieces from different personnel in our attack and in our midfield, I think that was exciting and to see players play different roles, step into their roles and do well."
 
Fredonia had the hot start, and did well switching the field and creating space moving forward into its offensive half. The Blue Devils finally capitalized in the eighth minute, as Brianna Grazen found Sophie Richiusa alone atop the box who fired a shot that beat SUNY New Paltz keeper Kyra Russo top right corner for the score.
 
"They did a pretty good job, just three or four different sequences of playing a dangerous, diagonal weak-side balls that we were not prepared for. I think it just goes back to not being goal side in transition in our midfield," Eckberg said. "I felt like overall Dana Salinas did a really good job trying to pick up a lot of different second balls in the final third. We all emphasize that second ball equals possession, so I think really being able to identify that in the run of play that that's the difference between three points, between one point, between zero points."

 
 
Although Fredonia found some space to test Russo in the following 15 minutes, nothing on net was too dangerous to threaten on the scoreboard. Katie Sellers found space outside of the 18-yard box and ripped a shot on net, but Russo handled the attempt for the save. Five minutes later, Sophia Alesi earned a corner for her team resulting in a shot attempt from Sellers on a one-time ball that scooted out off a Hawks attempted clear, but Russo again came up with the stop.
 
SUNY New Paltz picked up its play midway through the half after Eckberg subbed in a few players off his bench, most notably freshmen Rachel Eisert, Emma Voege and seniors Lisette Palomo, Olivia Ingalsbe and Sky Pedroza. The Hawks started to win more 50-50 balls in the middle of the field, which created more offense on that end.
 
The first real scoring chance for SUNY New Paltz came with 15 minutes left in the half, as Katie Buqucchio earned a free kick just inside her team's offensive half to create a set piece opportunity. Voege stepped up and played a good ball inside the box, but the header wasn't strong enough to beat Fredonia's Sabrina Suriani in goal.
 
Three minutes later, Eisert beat her defender and was tripped up to earn another set piece around the edge of the box. Voege again played a great ball headed far post, but the Blue Devils were there to clear out of bounds. Ingalsbe then found herself in a good spot with 11 minutes left, making a run behind the defense to get a touch into the box but her attempt when just wide of goal. 
SUNY New Paltz came out with more energy in the second half and quickly created its first scoring opportunity just two minutes in. Siena Diaz-Colon, working hard to put pressure on the Blue Devils' backline, deflected a clear in the visitor's box that almost squeaked past Suriani for the goal. Shortly after, Buqucchio sent a beautiful touch pass to Diaz-Colon who beat her defender sideline before playing a dangerous ball back toward the front post toward Cailin Ruoti, but Fredonia's defense did a good job to get a touch to disrupt the play and cleared the ball away.  
 
The Hawks finally broke through though in the 61st minute, as Buqucchio decided to take the ball up herself, dribbling through and past defenders towards goal and ripped a hard shot, close range past Suriani for the game-tying score.
 
"Former midfielder, creating a moment," Eckberg said. "Big, big shout out to her and stepping up and creating that from the middle third all the way through. Excellent I.Q. from her and excellent awareness. Congrats to her to finish a really great goal."
 
Both teams had chances to go up by a goal as regulation time started to wane. Voege had a good look from outside the box that was deflected out of bounds, resulting in a corner. She took the ensuing set piece and played in a lofted ball in the middle of the six for a flying Eisert, who got a head on the cross and was inches away from a highlight play, but her shot ricocheted off the cross bar and out of play.
 
"She obviously brings a high I.Q. into our attack," said Eckberg of Eisert. "I think for us, overall, we just want to continue to keep working with all of our personnel in our attack. To keep making sure we're emphasizing the same type of movement from our outside forwards, making c-runs, outside-inside diagonals, just combining and linking up so that the personnel isn't a big factor and we're dynamic with any front three."
 
Then, as time winded down past the three-minutes mark, the Blue Devils narrowly put an early end to the game as a mishandled ball in the back led to a breakaway between Fredonia's Gabby Alston and Russo. Russo did well to come off her line, guessed right on the dive and made the crucial stop to preserve the 1-1 stalemate, ultimately forcing extra time.
 
The game continued to be balanced even in overtime. Fredonia's best chance came into the second OT period, as Russo again came up with a big stop on a point blank shot just outside her six-yard box, getting a hand on a reaction save near post to push the ball out of play. Donovan then had a great opportunity with four minutes left in the game, as Diaz-Colon played another good service through to Donovan whose shot went just wide of the back corner of goal.
 
The game was nearly equal statistically, as the Hawks held the slight edge in shots, 18-17, and shots on goal, 11-9, while earning seven corners to the Blue Devils' four. Both goalkeepers showed well, as Russo finished with eight saves and Suriani ended with 10.

"We certainly need to get better on not giving up as many set pieces in our defensive third, that was a frustration," Eckberg said. "I felt like we didn't have the same type of urgency we had in the past in our defensive third and just looking forward to use this film and create teachable moments and identify them and just keep enhancing our process overall."
 
Diaz-Colon and Donovan each had three shots to lead the Hawks, while the SUNY New Paltz's entire defense including Russo, Buquicchio, Maggie Cameron, Ciara Devlin and Jess Funke played the entire 110 minutes of action.
 
The Hawks are back on the South Turf Field Saturday when they host Buffalo State at 1 p.m. The team will honor its seven graduating seniors prior to the game.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS


*********************
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.