New Paltz, NY — Coming off an uneven performance Saturday, the State University of New York at New Paltz had one last regular season home game to make a statement.
 
The Hawks had a humbling 2-2 tie against visiting Brockport in the pouring rain in their previous outing and on Wednesday, they were locked in to end their regular season's home schedule on a high note. They did that and then some. 

Propelled by a historic outing for juniors Rachel Eisert and Gaby Treble, SUNY New Paltz demolished a visiting SUNY Oneonta team and earned a 7-0 victory.
 
"I think it's extremely important, considering we have three very important fifth years on this team to end their home season on a big win like that, given with how much they've given to this program it was a big deal to come out with a big win today and we did just that," Eisert said.
 
"You said that Brockport isn't the result that we wanted but I think it was the result that we needed that week. Our goals this week was to be humbled and focused and that doesn't happen without a humbling experience like Brockport. The score today shows what that did for us and what that will do for us for the rest of the season going into three more away games."
 
With Wednesday's performance, the Hawks end their regular season home schedule by out-scoring their opposition 29-2 on South Turf Field including five shutouts, as their two goals given up both came in Saturday's draw with the Golden Eagles. 

Saturday's matchup turned after SUNY New Paltz was given an indirect free kick just outside the six-yard box on a dangerous high boot by the Red Dragons on a lofted ball played into the box by Mia Baldinger. Oneonta set up an eight-person wall, but it still wasn't enough to stop Alexis DeLeo from rocketing a point-blank shot into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
 
"We were all never really in that situation before so we were just all in an agreement to just hit it as hard as I can across the goal line," DeLeo said. "To see it go into the back of the net was just a great feeling and I think it lit a fire under all of us and really pushed us to get that score up throughout the game."  
DeLeo made another big play seven minutes later, winning the ball back just outside the box and beating her defender endline before slotting a ball in front of the face of goal for Eisert who easily touched her shot for her record-setting 26th of her career, setting the program's new all-time goal record.
 
The moment was extra special with DeLeo setting up her housemate for the occasion, which pushed SUNY New Paltz ahead 2-0 25 minutes in.
 
Less than a minute later in nearly a duplicate play, Eisert worked the left side, won endline and sent a ball across this time for Gaby Treble who beat Oneonta keeper Bryanna Meehan for her 11th of the year with the duo then tying the single-season goal mark. Eisert broke through to become the sole record holder with a goal on an assist from Ally Donovan in the second half, but Treble caught up with her as she scored her second of the day in the 82nd minute, putting the pair atop of the single season record books for the Hawks with 12 goals apiece on the season.

"It's the best feeling ever. To be housemates, and to play that ball to her to get that season record, it's absolutely incredible," DeLeo said of her assist to Eisert. "I'm so proud of Gaby and Rachel. They've put everything into this season, and I think our entire team has really given it their all this year knowing that we can do big things."
 
Laney Schmitz found the back of the net in the 34th minute, smashing a rebound in the box off an initial ball played in by Baldinger to give the Hawks a commanding 4-0 lead at halftime. Eisert scored her second in the 61st, running onto a ball through from Donovan. Eisert let the pass roll past her as she scissored over the ball to gain a step on her defender and easily placed her shot for the score.

DeLeo then found the back of the net again for her second of the day, as Donovan won a ball back atop the box and toe-poked a pass to DeLeo who one-timed a shot that hit inside the cross bar and in to push the lead to 5-0. Treble then capitalized one last time for SUNY New Paltz, putting a strong shot on frame that went through Red Dragons keeper Olivia Forbes' hands for the score.
 
SUNY New Paltz out-shot Oneonta, 18-5, including 12-4 in shots on frame, while garnering five corners to just one for the Red Dragons, which came in the first half.
 
Eisert led the Hawks with six shots, three on frame with two goals and an assist in 50 minutes played. DeLeo followed with three shots, two on target while also registering two goals and an assist in 60 minutes.
 
Along with Treble and Eisert setting the new single-season goal record mark, which was previously held by Alesha Peimer who tallied 11 in 1999, Eisert, just in her third year, became the program's all-time goal (27) and points (67) leader, which were both previously held by 2013 alumna Samantha Abravanel with 25 and 64, respectively.
 
"Gaby came in as a freshman our spring season and I think having that kind of fire from her in our front-line kind of helped push me to be better every single day," Eisert said. "That goes for every single player. Our midfield, who is constantly putting balls through for us, who is constantly setting us up for great free kicks and all this stuff it doesn't happen without them, so it feels amazing, but it doesn't happen without a great support system that we get from our coaching staff and every single player giving it their all."
 
Additionally, Eisert placed herself two assists shy of surpassing the all-time assist mark, sitting at 13 with Abravanel currently holding the record at 14. Both Eisert and DeLeo are also two shy of setting the single season assist record, currently with seven apiece. Abravanel holds the record with eight back set back in 2012.
 
Along with the individual record-setting performances Wednesday, the victory improved SUNY New Paltz to 8-3-3 overall and 4-0-2 in the SUNYAC, becoming the first team to clinch a spot in the 2023 conference tournament. At 14 points the Hawks climbed to the top spot in the SUNYAC standings, ahead of Cortland (12), Brockport (11) and Oswego (11). The team has a chance to make history once again with three road games left on the regular season schedule, as SUNY New Paltz has the opportunity to claim the top seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for the first time ever.
 
The Hawks begin their three-game road trip Saturday at Oswego for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Post-Game Featuring Rachel Eisert & Alexis DeLeo

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