New Paltz, NY —The State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer came away with a 2-1 overtime victory over visiting Oswego State Friday on the South Turf Field.
 
The Hawks (7-5-2 overall, 5-2-1 SUNYAC) went into their third consecutive extra time competition and for the second-straight game come out victorious. The beneficiary was break-out freshman Rachel Eisert who scored the go-ahead goal and then put away the game winner via penalty kick five minutes into OT.
 
"Going into the second half we had a ton of opportunities and honestly, I just feel like we ran out of time to execute those opportunities," Eisert said. "So, in overtime we got that extra time and we were able to get into their box and be dangerous."
 
Although SUNY New Paltz scored first and last, the initial dangerous shot came from the Lakers (5-8, 2-6) 10 minutes into the game, as they had a good look following a giveaway in the midfield on a flat ball played across creating the counterattack. However, Katie Delgrosso's shot just inside the box went wide of frame for Oswego.
 
The Hawks were persistent in moving the ball into their attacking third and created their first scoring chance in the 11th minute. The play started on the outside with Ciara Devlin keep the ball in play by the sideline and starting the attack with a pass to Ally Donovan looping into the midfield. Donovan played a perfectly weighted ball through two defenders end line to Siena Diaz-Colon running on. Diaz-Colon then centered the ball for Eisert coming into the six-yard box, but Oswego keeper Haley Muehl did a good job of coming out to get a fist on the ball and avoiding a header on frame by Eisert.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz continued getting into the box, but couldn't fight through the Lakers defense to put a dangerous shot on goal. Eisert had an opportunity in the 18th minute on a near handball in the box, but her shot was blocked and cleared out of play.
 
Eisert then won a free kick about 40 yards out after getting tripped up from behind on a throw-in a minute later. Alexis DeLeo played in the ensuing set piece dangerously into the box but Eisert's header didn't have enough power behind to get past Muehl.
 
"I think it's about enhancing our attacking mentality and what we're trying to get out of our attack," said SUNY New Paltz coach Mike Eckberg. "We're not trying to score perfect goals. We're trying to score goals and I think the recognition of seven or eight players behind the ball taking half-chances, players framing and creating chaos when you're playing against a really good team that's sound defensively, which they were today."
 
Shortly after, Oswego narrowly put in the first goal of the game, as Grace Hansen found herself open inside the box after the Lakers switched the point of attack, but Hawks keeper Kyra Russo made the nice reaction save to keep the scoreless stalemate. Oswego had another good look at goal in the 40th minute by Delgrosso taking a hit from outside the 18 but couldn't get enough on the shot to get the ball to the far post and Russo again made the stop. 
The first goal was finally scored about 10 minutes into the second half. The Hawks kept the ball on their offensive half following an Oswego goal kick and the Lakers struggled to clear the ball out of their box, which then resulted in Eisert's first goal of the afternoon. Finding the loose ball off the head of teammate Parris Burke in the middle of the 18, Eisert turned and slotted her shot far post to beat Muehl for the score.
 
"I think we certainly want our attackers to be composed and have a high I.Q. when we transition into our attack and I think that's what Rachel brings to the table," Eckberg said. "It's good to see her as she's been coming back from an injury. I felt like she was patient and created good opportunities for us, and really play-making well in-between the lines, so really happy for her."
 
Oswego upped its play after getting down by a score and started possessing inside SUNY New Paltz's defensive third for the majority of the next 10 minutes. The Lakers finally capitalized with a goal by Maggie Riordan on a cross played in by Graisa Madden to cap off an Oswego counter. Riordan was left alone to knock in the game-tying goal past Russo with 18 minutes left in regulation.
 
"I think overall our backline struggled certainly in the first half and throughout moments of just recognizing vision cues of balls over top and managing a ball that doesn't go over our heads, but instead dropping deeper so we can then re-gain possession, not be under so much pressure," Eckberg said. "I felt like Oswego did a really good job of that and that was creating way too many chances in their part in transition."
 
Best chance for a regulation goal for the Hawks came in the 89th minute on a corner played in by Emma Voege. Voege placed the ball atop the six, finding Katie Buquicchio flying in for the header but the Lakers back post defender did their job and cleared the shot away to keep the 1-1 tie and force overtime.
 
Extra time was all Hawks, however, and the hosts needed just five more minutes of play before putting away the golden goal. Maggie Cameron instigated the sequence, as the freshman used her speed to blow by her defender, get into the box and ultimately get end line to center a ball back toward the near edge of the six for Eisert. Eisert turned to put a shot on net, but the attempt hit the arm of an Oswego defender to earn the penalty kick.
 
"Maggie going end line constantly and grabbing those corner kicks and free kicks close to their goal definitely set that up for us," Eisert said. "We got lucky with that handball there, but I think either way, if Maggie kept going end line we would have scored."
 
Eisert calmly stepped up and hit her shot toward the right side with Muehl guessing incorrectly for the game-winner.
 

GOOAALL!!! HAWKS WIN!!@eisert_rachel scores on the PK and gives @newpaltz 2-1 #OT #win over Oswego! @SUNYACsports #NPHawks #NPWS #SUNYAC #HAWKSWIN pic.twitter.com/o0ElNa6Ukt

— New Paltz Hawks (@nphawks) October 22, 2021

"I mean, we all have doubts, but I think everyone just really wanted it. I really wanted it after [90-plus] minutes of soccer, so mentally I was just ready to take it and put it away," Eisert said. "I think overall, during the attack we were pretty sound. We need to be better at finishing those opportunities, but we're able to put the ball in dangerous positions to get things like handballs and PK's in the box. I think attacking wise we did a great job today."
 
Each team totaled 10 shots in the first half, but SUNY New Paltz held the advantage in that category the rest of the way totaling eight in the second half and three in overtime to out-shoot the Lakers, 21-15. Russo finished with eight saves for the Hawks, while Muehl totaled six.
 
Eisert was the catalyst offensively, totaling a team-leading 14 shots, six of which were on target. Buquicchio followed with four shots, two on goal.
 
"The attack overall, I think we had other moments where we could have been more successful at creating repetition," Eckberg said. "It just felt like the pass was slightly off, but the ideas were there. I think it's just a matter of recognizing when a team puts seven players behind the ball, we can be patient, but we need to get good solid chances."
 
SUNY New Paltz close out the regular season at home Saturday against SUNY Cortland. A win over the Red Dragons could possibly push the Hawks all the way to the two seed and earn a first-round bye straight into the semifinals. SUNY New Paltz hasn't beat the Red Dragons since 2011.
 
"I think we're definitely going to take an [overtime] win into Cortland tomorrow," Eisert said. "They are a great team, but we've been working towards this all season, and we want to keep pushing for playoffs."
 
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on the South Turf Field.

Rachel Eisert Post-Game Interview


Hawks vs. Oswego GAME HIGHLIGHTS


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