With their first SUNYAC playoff berth since 2012 assured by a successful weekend against Fredonia and Buffalo State, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer team looks to move up in tournament seeding this weekend. All that stands in the Hawks way are two formidable Central New York foes in Oswego State and SUNY Cortland.

Both the Lakers and the Red Dragons have held sway over SUNY New Paltz, with Oswego having a 14-7-4 edge since the series began in 1995. Cortland has been dominant since the two teams first met in 1985, with a 27-3-5 mark over the Hawks.

"Oswego and Cortland are two challenging opponents that will create adversity that we will have to face, overcome, and grow as we keep striving for the next level," said SUNY New Paltz coach Mike Eckberg. 

The Lakers arrive in New Paltz having lost a 2-1 overtime heartbreaker to the Red Dragons last weekend. Currently with a 5-7 overall and 2-5 SUNYAC record, Oswego defeated the Hawks 1-0 in overtime in 2019. This season, the Lakers have been led by senior Graisa Madden (Baldwinsville, NY) with five goals and one assist. Senior Elizabeth Myers (New City, NY) has added four goals and one assist, second-year Sara Marinaro (Binghamton, NY) follows with two goals, senior Maggie Riordan is next with one goal and three assists and first-year Matie Delgrosso (Pearl River, NY) has recorded one goal and two assists thus far.

Oswego's two SUNYAC wins have been shutouts over Potsdam, 1-0, and Buffalo State, 3-0. Earning the clean sheets was sophomore goalie Haley Muehl (Syracuse, NY) who has played all but 30 minutes of the Lakers' 12 matches. She has allowed 17 goals, while recording 38 saves for a 1.57 goals-against-average, with four shutouts on the year.

Cortland enters Saturday's key matchup with an overall mark of 7-4-2, but a 5-1-1 SUNYAC record. In their 2019 matchup, the Red Dragons bested the Hawks, 4-0.

Offensively, Cortland has had 11 different players hit the back of the net in 2021. Tops for the Red Dragons are senior Jaden Galluzzo (Commack, NY). Galluzzo was the 2019 SUNYAC Tournament MVP and earned Second-Team United Soccer Coaches All-East and All-SUNYAC honors. This season she has earned one SUNYAC Player of the Week selection, while totaling six goals and three assists this season. Also with six goals and three assists is sophomore Simone Neivel (Syracuse, NY). Junior Lizzy Sabatelle (Poughkeepsie, NY), whose blast in the 26th second of overtime gave Cortland the win over Oswego, has added five goals, while junior Sabrina Rodriguez (West Hempstead, NY) follows with three goals and three assists.

In net for all seven SUNYAC games for Cortland has been junior Lexi Ramonetti (Northport, NY), another SUNYAC Player of the Week selection. Her 5-1-1 record includes giving up just two goals for a minuscule 0.30 goals-against-average, with 38 saves and four shutouts.

With SUNY New Paltz (6-5-2, 4-2-1 SUNYAC) already securing a playoff bid in the SUNYAC tournament after earning four points with a tie and a win in consecutive double-overtime games Oct. 15 and 16, the Hawks put themselves in position to control their own fate in seeding heading into their final regular season conference double-header. 
 
Last weekend, SUNY New Paltz earned a tie against Fredonia State, 1-1 after scoring on a goal by junior defender Katie Buquicchio in the 61st minute, before winning on Senior Day the following afternoon after Buquicchio headed in the golden goal on an assist by Emma Voege in the 105th minute to beat Buffalo State, 2-1.

"It's definitely a testament to the fitness we've been working on in practice and it really shows, playing 110-minute games in back-to-back days," said Hawks junior forward Ally Donovan. "All the repetitions that we've put into practice, whether it's finishing set pieces or corners, it just allows us to have that confidence in the games when it comes up in the overtime, golden goal situations."
 
Last weekend's results placed SUNY New Paltz in a tie for fourth place with the Blue Devils based on points (13) and the Hawks could secure as high as the second seed or as low as the sixth seed based on their play against the Lakers and Red Dragons this weekend.
 
"It feels really great to have made a spot in the playoffs, because that's what we've been working for and this team especially," Donovan said. "We've been working for this since preseason, so it feels really great to finally have a spot in the playoffs, and I have faith in this team because of all the hard work that we've put in throughout the season...that we have a chance to go far in the playoffs."

Several other juniors have stepped up for SUNY New Paltz in recent games along with Donovan (Fairport, NY), Siena Diaz-Colon (Floral Park, NY) and Jess Funke (Smithtown, NY) all scoring significant goals in the Hawks' SUNYAC campaign. Graduate student Lisette Palumbo (West Hempstead, NY) netted the tying goal against the Bengals and freshman Alexis DeLeo (Harriman, NY) scored the game winner against Oneonta.

"I'm really proud of our student-athletes' commitment to the process and continuing to believe in one another," Eckberg said. "It is all about finding the next level right now individually and collectively as a unit."

Senior goalie Danielle Angyal (Stormville, NY) played all 104 minutes in the win against Buffalo State, along with minutes earlier in the season versus Manhattanville. Her 0.60 goals-against-average, coupled with sophomore keeper Kyra Russo's (East Greenbush, NY) 1.08 goals-against-average in 12 games adds up to a stingy 1.02 goals-against-average for the Hawks defense. Russo, stalwart all season between the posts for SUNY New Paltz, has made 50 saves and has three shutouts to her credit on the season.

"We're looking forward to playoffs, but we don't want to [overlook] these last two games, especially since it's dependent on the seed we get in," Donovan added. "I think it's great practice for us, leading up to these playoff games, as we still have two more games to really work and figure it out and just use it as practice."

The Hawks are set to host the Lakers Friday on the South Turf Field at 3 p.m. before coming back Saturday to face SUNY Cortland at 1 p.m. SUNY New Paltz will sport green during its matchup against the Red Dragons in support of mental health awareness. To read more on how to donate, click here.

Cailin Ruoti Weekend Preview Interview

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