New Paltz, NY — After an even first half with the score at one apiece, the State University of New York at New Paltz owned the last 45 minutes of its match against visiting Plattsburgh Wednesday.
 
The Hawks (5-1-1 overall, 2-0 SUNYAC) out-shot the Cardinals (4-2-1, 0-1-1) in the half 12-4, while garnering six corners to Plattsburgh's zero and kept possession 46 percent of the time in their offensive third. As a result, SUNY New Paltz put away the game-winning goal to keep them undefeated in SUNYAC play after the 2-1 win.
 
"The credit gets passed to everybody today," said Hawks coach Mike Eckberg. It was a total team win. It's a total team effort across the board from every player that played from one minute, to zero minutes, to 80-plus minutes. I think all around, we were very dynamic in our attack. We did an excellent job of creating a lot of set pieces. We were dangerous with our set pieces. We were sound in our defensive shape in transition, and we had some really great goalkeeping when we needed I today."
 
SUNY New Paltz forwards Gaby Treble and Rachel Eisert wrecked havoc in the second half against Plattsburgh. Their combination play allowed the Hawks to open up the game and nearly added on in the first 10 minutes following the second half whistle.

Treble helped earn a corner in the 60th minute, which was taken by Emma Voege who found Katie Buquicchio running on back post. Buquicchio rose up for the header that careened just underneath the crossbar and down, seemingly crossing the goal line, but play resumed with Dana Salinas cleaning up the loose ball. However, the officials whistle sounded and called a foul in the box on the Hawks to erase the score and keep the game at a 1-1 draw.
 
SUNY New Paltz showed composure to shrug off the call and almost-goal to put in another just a minute later, which stood as the game-winner. Siena Diaz-Colon played in Eisert who turned off the defender on her back to strike a hard-hit shot with her right, forcing Cardinals keeper Julia Ennis to make the diving stop. Brooke Kelleher then came running in to follow up on the play and scored her first of her career in a clutch moment to push her team to the 2-1 lead.   
"I think Brooke is fearless in the box," Eckberg said. "She created the goal for us against Skidmore, just making a selfless run on a 50-50 colliding in with the goalkeeper and she's just is putting herself in dangerous positions and totally deserves her first collegiate goal and there will be many, many more after."
 
Plattsburgh had an opportunity to tie up the score with about 20 minutes left in regulation with an incredible effort by Allison Seidman who made a 20-yard run to win a through ball played into the box. Siedman turned and fired a shot destined for the back of the net, but Franklin came up huge again, going up with two hands to get enough of the shot to re-direct away from goal.
 
SUNY New Paltz immediately answered after the scoring threat from the Cardinals with Voege earning a corner for her team. Voege played the ensuing corner toward the back post to Buquicchio once again who re-directed the ball into the middle of the six-yard box. Plattsburgh got a piece but had trouble clearing. Diaz-Colon was there on the follow and put a strike on target at close range, but Ennis made the stop with her back line finally getting the ball out of their defensive third.

"I think we just knew we were in it," said Hawks goalkeeper Maddie Franklin. "We were just so excited and wanted it so bad. I think that's what carried us into a dominating second half."
 
The first half was back-and-forth with each team garnering chances and the 1-1 draw reflected the play on the field. Franklin was tested early, as Plattsburgh broke through in the second minute with Kirsten Villemaire cutting inside the box to get off a strike with her right that was headed toward the corner, but Franklin did well reading the shot and parried it away to keep the stalemate.
 
"I think in the first few minutes we were a little panicked… [but] after the first save I think it all kind of shocked us and we were all kind of like, 'OK, we're in this now. It's time for us to focus in and put in the work for this,'" Franklin said.
 
Franklin was forced to make another diving stop midway through the first half as Villemaire found some space inside the six-yard box and tried to slot a shot near post, but again Frankllin was there on the diving stop to handle the threat.
 
The Cardinals finally got on the board to take the initial, 1-0 lead with a ball played through as Nicole Kingsley was running into the box. Franklin came out, but Kingsley poked her attempt by to give her team the lead. SUNY New Paltz responded though five minutes later, as Treble came off the bench and played big to register her fourth goal of the year.
 
Working her way down the left flank, Treble beat two defenders to get inside the edge of the six to create a one-v-one with Ennis and the sophomore transfer slotted her shot near post for her fourth goal of the season to tie the game at one.
 
Treble logged 57 minutes off the bench, while registering one shot and a goal. Eisert and Buquicchio each finished with a team-high of four shots with Buquicchio playing all 90 minutes. Franklin also played the full 90 and totaled seven saves with Jess Funke playing a solid game, commanding the back line in 82 minutes of action.

"I think [Treble and Eisert] combined well with each other for sure, but I think a lot of credit goes to our entire front line and the work they continue to put into training and the work that they put into each and every game," Eckberg said. "I think Ally Donovan, Brooke Kelleher, Rachel Eisert, Gaby Treble, Parris Burke, Addison Weiner are six dynamic attacking players, flat out. I think if they're in for five minutes or 15 minutes they know they have the ability to change the game. It was just a total credit in their ability to stay focused within the moments that matter and execute."
 
SUNY New Paltz ultimately out-shot Plattsburgh 19-11 and had 10 corner kick opportunities the Cardinals' two.
 
"I think all of our mindsets going into this game was that we were dialed in," Franklin said. "We had a practice Monday that was crazy. You can tell, the air was just vibrant. We all just wanted it so bad and we were all dialed in when we got here. Warmups were great and it carried on into the game."
 
The Hawks are back in action Saturday as they continue SUNYAC play against Fredonia State at 1 p.m. on South Turf Field.

Post-Game Interview Featuring Maddie Franklin


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