New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer team secured its first win of the season Wednesday, defeating visiting Bard, 2-0 on the South Turf Field.
 
The Hawks (1-2-1) had strong performances in their first three games of the season and even out-shot the opposition this season, 43-37, but were still searching for their first win of 2021. They again out-played the opposing team Wednesday, dominating possession and out-shooting the Raptors (1-3), 29-5, in the game and finally came away with two goals in the second half to secure the victory.
 
"It was so awesome to get our first win, especially with our freshman [Rachel Eisert] stepping up scoring, but I think even though we got this win there's a lot of work we have to do as a team," said SUNY New Paltz senior Sky Pedroza. "We had a lot missed opportunities, but we know next game we're going to finish those."
 
Hawks owned the first half of play, out-shooting Bard, 14-1 with several chances nearly put up on the scoreboard.
 
SUNY New Paltz used its speed on the outside to develop dangerous plays within the Raptors offensive third with Ciara Devlin and Maggie Cameron at left and right back producing quality crosses within the 18-yard box.
 
 
Midway through the half Devlin stepped up and made a clean tackle on the sideline to win back possession, then carried the ball and played it back in for Pedroza running in toward the six. Pedroza, off the bounce, one-timed a volley that careened off the cross bar just inches from the opening score. Bard collected the loose ball and cleared away from pressure.
 
Cameron created two more opportunities in back-to-back sequences down the sideline, as she burned her defender down field, turned the corner to get end line and was one-v-one with the keeper on the near post, but instead of trying an attempt at goal, she centered a ball to Ally Donovan running in, but the Raptors were there to clear. Cameron got the same chance about a minute later and this time, opted to take a shot on frame, but again, Bard's center back recovered to get a foot in to hinder the shot and the attempt went wide of goal.
 
Recognizing the Hawks were playing more direct with balls through and over the top, the Raptors began playing a high backline to take away a few potential scoring plays. Bard caught SUNY New Paltz offside five times in the first half, but despite that, the hosts still managed to put six shots on frame within the first 45 minutes.
 
Less than two minutes into the second half, the Hawks narrowly took the lead after finding the cross bar once again. On a quick re-start from a free kick earned by Rachel Eisert, Pedroza centered the ball toward the top of the six and found Donovan running in. Donovan one-timed her shot, and another half inch would have netted her first of the season, but instead her attempt ricocheted off the crossbar and Bard eventually cleared their defensive zone.
 
"We had a lot of crossbars this game, not just me, and finally putting the ball in the net was really exciting for us," Pedroza said. "We had two goals, one from Rachel [Eisert] and one from me, and it was really nice to see the results today."
 
The Raptors' Madeline Chilton who entered the second half in goal made a couple nice saves in her 45 minutes of action. One came off a one-v-one with Cailin Ruoti 24 minutes left in the half with the score still tied a zeros. Ruoti timed her run perfectly on a well-weighted ball played in by Eisert, but Chilton came off her line and got her hands up on the shot for the stop.
 
At the 63rd minute, Eisert finally got SUNY New Paltz on the board. A good ball played in by Emma Voege off a free kick about 45 yards out landed on the penalty stripe. Eisert found the loose ball and fired a shot on goal with Chilton getting her fingertips on it but wasn't enough to direct the attempt away and the ball trickled past the goal line for the score.
 
Jess Funke nearly made the score 2-0 a minute later, as she got up on a corner played in by Lisette Palomo, but Chilton read the ball well and tipped the shot over the cross bar. SUNY New Paltz eventually found its second of the game on a hustle play by Palomo and Pedroza in the 76th minute. Palomo, hustling from the midfield to pressure the Raptons' right back near the top of the box, forced Bard to go back to its keeper to clear, but Pedroza was there hustling on to get a deflection on the clear attempt. She gathered the loose ball and tapped in her team's second goal and first of the year.
 
"Lisette was actually playing in the midfield, and she ran all the way out wide to the outside back and she covered that," Pedroza explained. "I kind of saw that the outside back only had one option to go back to the goalie, so I got there and I didn't even know I hit it at first and then saw it right in front of me and then it was just a nice tap-in goal, and a nice kind of assist from Lisette."
 
Not long after the re-start, Dana Salinas almost snuck a goal near-post inside the box, but Chilton got a hand on the attempt to knock the ball away and keep the Hawks cushion at two. SUNY New Paltz registered three more shots on Chilton before the final whistle sounded to cement the 2-0 victory.
 
Kyra Russo played the full 90 minutes in goal for the Hawks and totaled three saves, while Salinas led the team with three shots on goal in 49 minutes played.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back on the South Turf Field for its next game Saturday against Manhattanville College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Sky Pedroza Post-Game Interview


Hawks vs. Bard HIGHLIGHTS


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