With its 2021 mission to recapture the SUNYAC Championship in hand, the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team now begins its quest to the national championship.

Five games stand between the Hawks and the NCAA Division III title and that journey begins Wednesday afternoon against the undefeated Colonial States Athletic Conference champions, Wilson College. The Hawks make their sixth appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament and the Phoenix are playing in their second consecutive Division III tournament.

The Wilson College Phoenix, from Chambersburg, PA, tore through their 18-game season schedule, scoring a massive 88 goals, while giving up just eight. In their 7-0 run through their CSAC schedule, they scored 32 goals with only four allowed. While defense has been the hallmark of coach Shelly Novak's teams over the past 17 years, this year's team has exploded offensively, with three double figure wins — 13-0 against Southern Virginia, 11-0 against Bryn Athyn and 12-0 against Wells.

Leading the Phoenix offense is fifth year forward Michaela Singer (Annville, PA/Annville/Cleona HS). The CSAC Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-CSAC selection scored 25 goals this season with eight assists. She has eight multi-goal games, including a four-goal outburst against Centenary College. Seven of her goals have been game winners. 

Adding to the potent Phoenix offense has been junior defender Alexis Pflumm (Camden, DE/Caesar Rodney HS). The First-Team All-CSAC selection has 12 goals, including one game winner, along with eight assists.

Another First-Team All-CSAC player, senior midfielder Breann Sheaffer (Middleburg, PA/Midd-West HS) has six game-winners among her 10 goals, and has assisted on seven other goals for Wilson. Leading the team in assists with 10 is junior midfielder/defender Abigail Rosenberry (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg HS).

Not to be out-shone by their "elders," sophomore forward Haley Koller (Algen, PA/Octorara HS) has totaled six goals, including one game winner and first-year forward Brea Kelso (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg HS), also has registered six goals and six assists to contribute to the Phoenix offense.

Defense has been the name of the game for Wilson during coach Shelly Novak's tenure and the 2021 team has to rank among the best. Led by two-time First-Team All-CSAC defender Jenna Carty (Chambersburg/PA/Chambersburg HS), the Phoenix gave up just  eight goals all season and boast a superlative 0.44 goals-against-average, while limiting their opponents to just 88 total shots over 18 games. Carty led the Phoenix with six defensive saves this season, creating 10 clean sheets in all competitions.

Four different players have seen time between the pipes for Wilson, with fifth year goalie Krista Nayadley (Hampton, VA/Hampton HS) accruing 810 minutes. Starting 15 games, with a 14-0 record, the two-time Second-Team All-CSAC goalie gave up eight goals for a 0.59 goals-against-average, to go along with 33 saves. Nayadley had six complete shutouts and assisted in four others.

Winning the SUNYAC Championship and returning to the NCAA tournament is the annual goal for coach Shanna Szablinski. The five-time SUNYAC Coach of the Year and the SUNYAC Coach of the Decade has led the Hawks to 11 consecutive SUNYAC tournaments, with six SUNYAC Championship titles. The Hawks have appeared in six NCAA Division III tournaments since 2012, advancing to the second round of tournament play in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This season's squad posted a 16-2 mark, tying the all-time win record and secured a team first, perfect 6-0 conference record.

Balance on offense and defense has been the key to SUNY New Paltz's 2021 success. The Hawks scored 59 goals on the year, with First-Team All-SUNYAC selection and SUNYAC Championship tournament MVP Hannah Ackerman (So., F, Nesconset, NY/Smithtown East HS) leading the way with 12 goals, including the game winner over SUNY Cortland in the SUNYAC Championship game, while also adding five assists for a team-leading 29 points thus far. Sophomore forward Morgan Woolley (Blue Point, NY/Bayport-Blue Point HS) follows with 11 goals and three assists. Second-Team All-SUNYAC junior forward Natasia Plunkett (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent HS) adds nine goals and three assists, while fellow Second-Team All-SUNYAC selection, junior back Julia Cummings (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland HS) has contributed six goals and seven assists, while junior midfielder Jamie Wagner (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse HS) has added six goals and one assist on the season. Five other Hawks have entered the scoring column for 2021. 

SUNYAC's Defensive Player of the year and three-time All-SUNYAC selection, senior midfielder/ back Jessica Ascencao (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland HS) has contributed on both sides of the field for the Hawks. Her 13 assists leads the team, as do her eight defensive saves. The two-time First-Team All-NFHCA North Atlantic Region selection spearheaded SUNY New Paltz defense that allowed 20 goals for a 1.09 goals-against-average, with nine shutouts.

Three other seniors have shown maturity on defense. Second-Team All-SUNYAC back Kayla Ahern (Blue Point, NY/Bayport-Blue Point HS) has been a consistent force for the Hawks, tallying three defensive saves, midfielder/back Courtney Kruzikas (Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake HS) has five defensive saves and back Kyra D'Amico (Holtsville, NY/Sachem East HS) added two defensive saves on the year, solidifying the left back position.

Two outstanding goalies, seniors Mackenzie Mortimer (Fairport, NY/Fairport HS) and Ryan Dowling (East Northport, Northport HS) have been tough between the pipes. Dowling was the winning goalie in SUNY New Paltz's 1-0 win over SUNY Cortland in the SUNYAC Championship; starting 11 of 16 games, her season record of 7-1 includes three shutouts. Dowling allowed just nine goals all season, with 60 saves to her credit. Mortimer, with seven starts in 12 games and a 9-1 record with one shutout and assists on three others, allowed 11 goals with 59 saves. Both goalies stand tall in the final SUNYAC statistics, Dowling at No. 1 with a 0.76 goals-against-average and Mortimer at fifth spot with a 1.75 goals against average.

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