New Paltz, NY — The sun beat down on the South Turf field Saturday as the State University of New York New Paltz faced off against the Fredonia Blue Devils. 

The game was a rematch of last year's final regular season game for both teams, when the Hawks unexpectedly fell to the Blue Devils, 1-0. This time, SUNY New Paltz refused to fall and defeated Fredonia, 2-0. 

"Everyone put everything on the line," said senior captain Maddie Franklin. "You could tell we all wanted to win and everyone was completely locked into that." 

The Hawks acted fast to regain possession right off the initial kickoff. In the midfield, Mia Baldinger found Rachel Eisert in the box who dribbled into the corner to attempt a cross, but Fredonia's backline cleared before Eisert could get the pass off. Emma Voege was ready and sent the clear back in, but SUNY New Paltz was drawn offside. 

The Hawks would again be called offsides in the eighth minute, but that did not end the offensive crusade that occurred. Within the first ten minutes of play, SUNY New Paltz took five shots — all on target, compared to no shots from Fredonia. 

The Blue Devils found their first threatening opportunity in the 16th minute. A Fredonia forward carried the ball down to the corner and struck a high ball into the six. Hawks defender Erin Savarese was there to help prevent the shot, as she booted the ball forward. 

Savarese took charge again a minute later and ran through a passed ball to get it up to Baldinger in the midfield. Baldinger took a skillful touch to pass to Gaby Treble, but the Blue Devils keeper rushed the pass and scooped the ball up before Treble got a shot off. 

Eisert drew a foul in the 21st minute for a free kick. Voege took the strike, which went wide left, but Hannah Wellinger was there to send the far ball back in. But before SUNY New Paltz could connect, the Fredonia keeper got hands on it. 

Wellinger was ready again and regained possession of the subsequent clear. She looked to Alexis DeLeo in the middle, and DeLeo then sent a clean pass up to Brooke Kelleher. After finding space, Kelleher took a shot, which unfortunately whiffed the crossbar over the net. 

Following numerous failed shot attempts, time began to run out in the first. But, with lesst than five minutes remaining, the Hawks found a way. 

Centerback Grace Lein regained possession from Fredonia and found fellow freshman Alyssa Deutsch in the middle, who then deflected the pass to Kennedy Jones. Jones controlled the pass with her back to the net as she searched for an outlet, and soon found Deutsch at the top of the box. Deutsch one-timed the pass and fired the ball into the top left corner of the cage for SUNY New Paltz's first goal of the game.

"When I came on the field I knew I had to make the most of my opportunity," Deutsch said. "I saw it and I stayed calm and composed — and knew it was going in when it went off my foot." 

"It is inspiring to see the level of composure and sophistication that Kennedy and Alyssa displayed on the first goal," added Hawks coach Mike Eckberg. "The execution was class."

Without enough time for the Blue Devils to respond to the goal, the buzzer sounded to end the first half, SUNY New Paltz up 1-0. Building off its momentum from the first, the hosts came out strong to start the second and increased its already strong offensive presence. 

"Everyone put their heads together after halftime," said Deutsch. "We definitely brought up the intensity."
 

The Hawks soon conjured their first offensive threat of the second, in the 51st minute, as Wellinger took the ball up the left sideline and ripped a cross toward Baldinger, who was placed on the opposite side of the box. Baldinger tried to head the ball in but was short, however, the attempt went out of bounds off a Fredonia defender, so SUNY New Paltz had another chance at the net with a corner. 

Voege took her spot by the flag and soared the kick through the box. Eisert waited by the left corner of the box, where she approached the cross and headed the ball into the back of the net on the exultant set piece. 

After a 15-minute lull, Fredonia came down fast off a clear, and a header pass in the midfield sent the ball past the SUNY New Paltz backline. Seemingly a clear path to the cage, a Blue Devils' forward started to line up for a shot, but Franklin was there to rush and corral the ball before Fredonia got a clear chance.

Franklin came up big again in the 72nd minute, making a diving stop at Fredonia's feet to end an offensive run, which was few and far between for the Blue Devils in the second half, compared to the successful production by the Hawks. 

SUNY New Paltz out shot the Blue Devils 30-7, with 15-4 of the attempts being on target. In the second half alone, the Hawks took 17 shots against Fredonias' four tries, but one of the four shots taken was a significant opportunity for the Blue Devils.

A delayed handball call in the 82nd minute gave Fredonia a late-game chance to score. On the penalty spot, the Blue Devils sent the shot to the bottom left corner, but Franklin was too quick and smothered the ball for her second penalty stop of the season. 

"For the PK, there want anything going through my head I was zoned in on where I thought her hips were facing and where it looked like she was lining up to take the ball," Franklin said. "I just went for where I thought it was going to go."

On the clear after the penalty kick, Fredonia was able to regain possession and campaign towards net again. The Blue Devils took not one, not two — but three shots on net. All of the attempts, however, were denied by Franklin. With the stellar triple-save series, Franklin further ascertained her dominance in the net. 

"Maddie is all in all the time," Eckberg said. "The way she trains, the way she treats every rep, is prime time." 

The second half dwindled with neither team able to score in the limited minutes remaining. At the end of the 90 minutes, SUNY New Paltz came out victorious in their second straight conference win. 

"Fredonia had a couple of moments on set pieces that they could have equalized," said Eckberg. "[But] I think the age-old cardinal rule — up 2-0 is the most dangerous score line." 

Eisert and Deutsch knocked in a goal a piece, while Voege and Jones each garnered an assist. Franklin finished the match with four saves. But during the match, every player on the field had an impact on the win, working hard individually and cohesively as a unit. 

"We have been training so hard in practice," said Deutsch, "[And] it translates to the success we have in the game." 

The Hawks continue their SUNYAC streak against Morrisville where they face off against the Thoroughbreds Wednesday. The match begins at 4 p.m. In the same week, SUNY New Paltz hosts SUNY Canton for its senior game the following Saturday, which begins at noon.

"We spent a lot of time at practice the past week working on different set plays and movements," Franklin added. "These next few games are great opportunities to showcase everything we have been working on."

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