Geneseo, NY — After its first quarterfinal victory in program history, the State University of New York at New Paltz is matched up with the Geneseo Knights in the Hawks' inaugural semifinal game Wednesday.  
 
"We're hungry, we want that revenge against them," said Hawks sophomore midfielder Morgan Atwater said. "Stepping onto the field Wednesday, we are unsatisfied, and we have more to prove." 
 
SUNY New Paltz (14-3 overall, 7-3 conference) continued to make history in its historic 2024 campaign and it received its highest tournament seeding in program history, listed as third in the conference. The Hawks also secured its first regional ranking, listed at sixth in Region III. The second seeded Knights (13-3, 8-1) are slotted fifth in the most recent regional rankings.   
 
While the Knights had a bye in the first round, the Hawks were set against the Oneonta Red Dragons in the quarterfinals, whom they defeated April 24 in a 13-10 game. Three days later, SUNY New Paltz tweaked their game plan and rolled over No. 6 Oneonta, 17-5, to advance to their first semifinal. 
 
In SUNY New Paltz's previous matchup against the Knights, the Hawks fell in a tight three-goal game, with a score of 9-6. Besides SUNY New Paltz, no other SUNYAC conference team has lost within three or fewer goals to Geneseo.  
 
After a 5-0 start from the Knights, SUNY New Paltz swung the game's momentum in their direction, slowly chipping back at Geneseo's intimidating lead. There were multiple occasions in the contest where SUNY New Paltz was within one or two goals on the Knights. The Hawks' offense began to finish in the net, and the defensive unit did what they do best: working together.    
"The communication was nonstop," said senior defender Morgan Woolley. "From when the ball got down to the defensive end to back up to our offensive end, we were able to communicate effectively the whole time." 
 
Despite the end score, SUNY New Paltz's defense showed up to play and limited the Knights to their lowest goal count all year. The Hawks collected more saves, ground balls and draw controls than the Knights, as well as 18 successful clears in the matchup.  
 
"Our defense was locked down [against Geneseo]," Atwater said. "I don't think we have played better defense than in that game." 
 
On the year, Atwater has 42 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers, while Woolley leads the team with 52 caused turnovers, which is top five in the country.  
           
In that 5-0 start, Geneseo's leading goal scorer, sophomore midfielder Alaina Reina, netted two goals and dished one assist in the previous game against the Hawks. Near the end of the first quarter, Reina went down with an injury, and did not return the rest of the game. After the loss of Reina, the Knights' offense lagged against the Hawks and were kept to two goals or less per quarter for the rest of the game. Since facing SUNY New Paltz, Reina did not play in Geneseo's last regular season competition against Fredonia.  
 
Despite the Knights' loss, the Hawks' defense cannot rest as the Knights have other offensive threats, five of which scored in the teams' previous matchup. Senior attackmen Maddie Brown and Molly Brown closely follow Reina in points, with 40 and 38 goals scored and 84 and 90 assists, respectively. The duo scored three combined goals in the last matchup against SUNY New Paltz. Senior attackman Rachel Dickinson was another offensive catalyst for the Knights, with two goals and one assist.  
 
More significantly, Geneseo's defensive lineup prevented numerous of the Hawks' offensive efforts. They forced 15 turnovers and kept SUNY New Paltz to 20-shot attempts. Senior defender and two-sport athlete Tricia Curran alongside senior midfielder Caitlyn Korzeniewski and junior defender Sarah Ginnane combined for nine caused turnovers and eight ground balls.    
Morgan Atwater and freshman attacker Ava Padilla led the Hawks against Geneseo with two goals apiece, and senior midfielder Kaitlyn Shaw dished out three assists in the contest. Sophomore attacker Lexi Atwater carded out of the game with just under 10 minutes to play, and the Hawks only scored one goal after Atwater's departure.  
 
However, Lexi Atwater had a stellar performance against Oneonta in the quarterfinals, totaling four goals, an assist and three draw controls. Shaw also showed out offensively against the Red Dragons, leading the team with six goals, two assists and tied her career high eight draw controls.  
 
Although Geneseo came out on top in the regular season, Wednesday's game gives the Hawks another opportunity to play their best lacrosse and come out on top with another historic win, the teams' first SUNYAC championship.  
 
"Playoffs are a different kind of game, regardless of the score in the regular season," Woolley said. "I think Wednesday is going to be a battle." 
 
The Hawks are on the road to Geneseo for the semifinals. The game begins at 4 p.m. The winner of the contest will play in the SUNYAC championship Saturday, against the winner of No.1 Cortland and No. 4 Brockport. 

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