New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz has a busy weekend coming up, with five teams in action home and away, all of them competing against SUNYAC opponents.
Tennis will travel out west to take on Fredonia on Friday and Brockport on Saturday at the Binghamton Tennis Club, while men's soccer will also travel west Saturday to face the Brockport Golden Eagles. The Hawks are looking to build momentum off their clutch 2-1 victory over Geneseo and gain another SUNYAC victory to their 2-1-1 conference record.
Along with the away matches, the Hawks will host five exciting games over the weekend, all of which have important implications for the teams' SUNYAC standings.
Women's Volleyball:
This season has been nothing short of exceptional for the Hawks, as they have gone 12-5 for the season so far. They have beaten out impressive opponents such as Smith College, Union and the University of Scranton. Besides their non-league play, they are currently undefeated against SUNYAC competition. The team has also racked up accolades in addition to wins, including Coach Matt Giufre's 500th career win earlier in the season.
SUNY New Paltz will face Brockport Friday night. The two teams meet for the first time since the Golden Eagles knocked the Hawks out of the SUNYAC playoffs in the second-round last season. The Golden Eagles boast a few notable players. Outside hitter Jordan Thompson has amassed 180 kills for the season and has 122 digs in total. She is joined on the court by setter Kaitlyn Jewett, who has 240 assists for the season, and a game-high 46 assists in Brockport's recent 3-1 victory over Plattsburgh State.
The team has a quick turnaround and are set to face the Geneseo Knights at home for their Green Out for Mental Health Awareness Game Saturday night. The Knights are 6-8, and 2-0 in conference play. Last year, they were eliminated in the SUNYAC Semifinals, similar to the Hawks. Offensively, Geneseo has some impressive players, such as opposite Sommer Madigan and outside hitter Linda Rossi, who have a combined 147 kills for the Knights. Defensive specialist/libero Cecilia Dignan holds down the team defensively, collecting 193 digs for the season. If the Hawks come out victorious against the Knights, they will improve to a 3-0 conference record heading into the latter third of their season.
Field Hockey:
Field Hockey will face No. 15 nationally ranked SUNY Cortland at home, with the Hawks hoping to add another important win to their exceptional 8-2 record and gain their third SUNYAC victory. In their previous two games against nationally ranked teams, the Hawks have lost by only one goal, once in a double-overtime match against No. 21 University of Rochester. Facing Cortland will be different, as the results of the game could change the trajectory of the season for SUNY New Paltz.
The 8-1 Red Dragons will be tough competition, with their roster including players like goalkeeper Emma Morgan who has an impressive 0.818 save percentage, and forward Keirra Ettere, who leads the team in total points (19), having eight goals and three assists.
If the Hawks are able to defeat Cortland, they'll put themselves in great positioning in the SUNYAC standings, as Cortland leads SUNY New Paltz in the top spot by one win, and the Hawks are in second place within the conference. The game is also a chance for SUNY New Paltz to defeat the most recent SUNYAC champions, as the Red Dragons won the conference in 2022.
Women's Soccer:
The women's soccer campaign has been very successful this season, the team being anchored by a solid defense and strong offense, and as a unit being able to win key games. Players such as Gaby Treble and Rachel Eisert have led the attack for the Hawks, and their backline is anchored by goalie Maddie Franklin.
Starting off strong in conference play, the Hawks are coming off three SUNYAC wins and one tie but intend on adding another conference win to their scorebooks. Currently SUNY New Paltz and Cortland are tied for first place within the conference, and a win on Saturday could give the Hawks the boost they need to take that first-place spot.
Women's soccer will face Brockport on the South Turf Field. The Golden Eagles boast an impressive 10-2-1 record. The player to watch on the away side is Jaylah Cossin, a forward/midfielder who leads the team in almost every statistical category. She has an impressive 25 points so far this season and has netted three game-winning goals within her total goals scored (9).
Women's soccer kicks off their game at 2:00 p.m and women's volleyball will begin their match on Friday at 6:00 p.m., and their Saturday match at 2:00 p.m. Field hockey's plays Saturday as well, their game starting at noon on the North Turf.
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