New Paltz, NY — Despite temperatures dropping, hail raining and wind bearing down on North Turf Field Saturday morning, the State University of New York handled the elements in its first SUNYAC game of the season and came away with a 15-1 win over visiting Buffalo State.
 
The Hawks improved to 8-0 on the season, one win shy of tying the most in program history, which they earned last season after going 9-7, while grabbing an 1-0 start in conference play.
 
Weather was horrendous from the start, as frigid temperatures, hail and wind created a sloppy game for both sides as each team had trouble corralling the ball in their sticks. However, SUNY New Paltz made sure to grab in early lead and then piled on in the second half for a dominating performance.
 
The Hawks held the advantage on shots (29-6), ground balls (20-8), draw controls (14-5) and caused turnovers (21-11) while suffering 17 turnovers as a team to the Bengals' 25.
 
Mia Baldinger gave SUNY New Paltz the initial lead two minutes off the opening whistle. Ava Padilla was the beneficiary, as she picked up the loose ball in front of the cage on a broken play and spotted Baldinger open in front for the goal.
 
The Hawks took advantage of a turnover on the clear with Allison Beattie forcing the errant throw, riding hard behind the restraining line. Amy Whitman picked up the ground ball and helped SUNY New Paltz run another set on offense, which led to a free position opportunity for Morgan Atwater who buried the attempt to push the score to 2-0.  
 
 
Baldinger fed a cutting Lexi Atwater on back-to-back plays leading to goals for the sophomore with Atwater capping a 5-0 run as she scored a free position opportunity with three minutes left for her third straight goal in the stretch.
 
Buffalo State cut into the lead with its first goal of the game, taking advantage of a green card given to the Hawks on an offsides call. The Bengals earned a free position on the center hash following a foul in front of goal and netted the attempt, resulting in a 5-1 score after the first quarter.  
SUNY New Paltz was down two players two minutes into the second quarter after Lexi Atwater was given a green card on the ride before Baldinger was given a yellow for a check toward the head in transition. However, Morgan Atwater forced a turnover on the attempted clear and ran down full steam the other way toward cage and put away the man-down goal to boost the lead to 6-1.
 
Both teams went scoreless for the next 10 minutes until Kaitlyn Shaw fed freshman Samantha DeLucca for her fourth goal of her career. Shaw was then the benefactor, finishing on a feed from Morgan Atwater to create an 8-1 cushion at the break.
 
Wanting to get the game done with as conditions continued getting progressively worse, the Hawks ripped three-straight goals within the first five minutes of the second half to create a running clock. They took a 12-1 lead into the fourth where they added three more before the officials called the game early with more than four minutes left due to poor field conditions.
 
Morgan Atwater led the team with six points on five goals and one assist with four draw controls. Shaw followed with three goals and three assists, along with a team-high five draw controls. Baldinger added two goals and three assists, while Ava Padilla totaled one goal and three assists.
 
Gabriella Tommaso earned the win after making four saves. Morgan Woolley led SUNY New Paltz defensively with six caused turnovers and four ground balls. Baldinger followed with four caused turnovers and four draw controls. Whitman and Morgan Atwater each had three caused turnovers and two ground balls.  
 
The Hawks resume SUNYAC play next Friday when they host SUNY Brockport on North Turf Field at 11 a.m.
 

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