Another long road trip awaits the State University of New York at New Paltz women's soccer team as the Hawks travel to New York's North Country to take on SUNYAC rivals SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Plattsburgh this weekend.
 
On Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. SUNY New Paltz will meet the Bears on their home turf field. Potsdam holds a slight lead in the overall series, dating back to 1991, with 13 wins, 11 losses and five ties. In 2019 the Bears defeated the Hawks by a 2-1 score.
 
The Bears enter Friday's match with an overall record of four wins and four losses, with an 0-2 SUNYAC record. Last weekend, Potsdam was outplayed by Cortland, 5-0 and then lost a 1-0 double-overtime heartbreaker to Oswego State. Two of the Bears' four wins have come in capturing the New England College tournament, defeating New England College and Roger Williams College by identical 1-0 scores. 
Potsdam has been led thus far by seniors Mackenzie Bowie (Mechaniville, NY) and two-time All SUNYAC Maeve Morrissey (Averill Park, NY), with four and three goals respectively. Three other Bears, senior Kristina Sanchez (Averill Park, NY) and first-years Layla McKeiver (Endicott, NY) and Hailey von Ahn (Saratoga Springs, NY) have contributed two goals each. Defensively, goalies Savannah Bowie (Mechanicville, NY) and Chloe Gordon (Cicero,NY) have split the net minding for the Bears. Bowie has a 3-1 record with 22 saves and a 11.86 goals-against-average; Gordon has a 1-3 record with 23 saves and a 1.14 goals-against-average.
 
On Saturday, the Hawks traverse east along NY Route 11 to meet the Cardinals of Plattsburgh. Plattsburgh, currently ranked fifth in the latest SCAA New York Region poll, holds a 5-1-2 overall record, with a 2-0 mark in SUNYAC play. Against the Hawks, Plattsburgh has dominated the series dating back to 1985, with 28 wins, five losses, and three ties. SUNY New Paltz lost a tough 1-0 match against the Cardinals in 2019.
 
Plattsburgh netted two big SUNYAC wins last weekend, defeating the Lakers, 2-1 and the Red Dragons, 1-0. Against common opponents with SUNY New Paltz, the Cardinals post a 2-0-1 record, defeating Sage Colleges and Skidmore, while tying RPI.
 
Plattsburgh has relied on three players for their scoring punch. Senior Emily Frodyma (Watervliet, NY) and sophomore Avery Dargan (West Chazy, NY) lead the way with four goals each, with Frodyma contributing four assists. Senior Allison Seidman (Commack, NY), 2018 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year and two-time All-SUNYAC selection, follows closely with three goals, including last Saturday's game winner against Cortland.
 
Cardinals goalkeeper Julia Ennis (Carmel, NY) has been stellar in the net for Plattsburgh, earning Presto/SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Week for the last three consecutive weeks. She has a 5-1-2 record, with 45 saves, three shutouts, with a 1.21 goals-against-average.
 
The Hawks, with two wins, four losses and one tie overall and 0-2 in SUNYAC, have played strong defense thus far in 2021, but have shown their inexperience on offense as their 2-0 and 1-0 shutout losses to the Golden Eagles and Knights last weekend have shown. Sophomore goalie Kyra Russo (East Greenbush) carries a 1.32 goals-against-average with 22 saves and one shutout in seven games. Shoring up the defense has been senior Ciara Devlin (Kings Park, NY) juniors Kate Buquicchio (Deer Park, NY) and Jess Funke (Smithtown, NY) and freshman outside back Maggie Cameron (Cornwall, NY).
 
Offensively, freshman Rachel Eisert (Bellmore, NY), with four goals on 26 shots, leads the Hawks. Graduate student Sky Pedroza (Levittown, NY) follows with three goals, while senior Cailin Ruoti (Green Township, NJ) with 17 shots and one goal and junior Dana Salinas (Locust Valley, NY) with one goal on 11 shots have the potential to reverse the Hawks scoring drought.
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