New Paltz, NY — To defend its home turf on a heated September afternoon, the State University of New York at New Paltz routed the Farmingdale State Rams in a 3-0 runaway victory, which secured the Hawks' fifth win of their thus far undefeated season.
SUNY New Paltz was full steam ahead for the entire 90 minutes, with a constant push on the Rams' backline while out-shooting Farmingdale overall, 13-1.
"It's great to keep the ball or move the ball back — but our attacking mentality today was out of this world," said SUNY New Paltz senior forward
Rachel Eisert. "Our midfielders were constantly getting forward and our wingers making runs — and something dangerous just happens in the box."
From the beginning, the Hawks were setting each other up on the front line. In the first minute, Eisert sent a through ball to
Brooke Kelleher, but before she could land a touch it was scooped up by the Rams' keeper. Not long after, however, the ball was back in scoring territory.
In the third minute,
Emma Voege sent a corner kick in the box which was corralled by forward
Gaby Treble. The ball bounced around the box until it was kicked out of bounds to deny SUNY New Paltz a scoring opportunity.
A tackle by
Hannah Wellinger in the seventh minute won possession back to the Hawks, as she then sent a service toward Treble who passed upfield to Eisert. Although able to get herself free for the shot, Eisert's strike went just over the crossbar. SUNY New Paltz had another chance two minutes later, as
Alexis DeLeo outsmarted her defender to land a shot on the cage, but it was caught by the keeper.
Gallery: (9-14-2024) Women's Soccer vs. Farmingdale 9/14/24
After the clear, a missed touch led to a loose ball in the box giving the Rams an opportunity on net, but
Maddie Franklin got low to smother the chance.
Back upfield, Eisert curved a pass to Treble's feet who earned a corner for her team.
Emma Voege took the ensuing set piece, sending a good look into the six, but the ball was repossessed by Farmingdale.
Erin Savarese gained back control of the ball on SUNY New Paltz's defensive side and booted a pass up to Kelleher. As Kelleher came through the box for a shot, she was shoved over by a Rams' defender resulting in a penalty kick opportunity with Farmingdale hit with a yellow card. On the penalty spot, Kelleher easily tapped the ball into the lower left corner for the Hawks' first goal of the game in the 15th minute.
In the 19th minute, for the singular time in the match, Farmingdale got a shot off on SUNY New Paltz. The Rams came up left field and shot high, but Franklin deflected the ball out for a corner kick. When sent in, the Farmingdale had a header opportunity, but it skimmed the left post and out.
The Rams started to break through the Hawks' formation and got through in the 21st minute, but Voege cleared to end the threat. Another corner opportunity for Farmingdale ensued, getting a head on the attempt in the box but the shot went wide right for a goal kick.
The next opportunity for the Hawks came in the 25th minute when Eisert set up
Parris Burke for fast break. Burke got shot off, but it was enveloped by the Farmingdale goalie. In the same minute, Eisert sent another pass through to Kelleher. Unfortunately, it had slightly too much power as it got to the Rams keeper before Kelleher got a touch.
After numerous shot attempts, SUNY New Paltz got the opportunity they needed. Off a free kick in the 40th minute, Savarese sent a ball upfield to
Kennedy Jones, who streaked up the field and shot for the top right bins, but the Rams keeper knocked it out. On the corner awarded, the ball passed through the box and went toward the back post. Savarese was ready at the top corner of the box to send it back in, where
Alyssa Deutsch was there and ready, and she struck the ball to the lower right corner, getting past the keeper for the freshman's first career goal an Hawks' second of the game.
"It feels so insane, I couldn't breathe when I was on the field, I was so excited," Deutsch said. "It feels so good to be a part of something like this."
Deutsch, along with starter
Grace Lien had a major impact on the win — and their efforts didn't go unnoticed on the field. "A bunch of our first years stepped up today in a big win against a team that just tied a nationally ranked team," said Eisert.
"It feels so good that we can make a difference and all of the older girls make it so much easier, they are so welcoming and inviting," added Deutsch. "It is such a great atmosphere overall."
Deutsch's goal was the last of the first half, as the Hawks left the 45-minute half up 2-0.
Not wasting any time, defender
Hannah Wellinger threw in a ball into the box in the 47th minute finding Treble. On a bounce, Treble volleyed a shot toward the far post to net her team's third goal of the match. The goal marked Treble's third of the season and Wellinger tallied her first assist of the year.
The 3-0 deficit proved too much for the Rams, as they could not generate anything offensively. The Hawks used the 45 minutes to their advantage, subbing nearly their entire lineup in and out of the game. Neither team scored again, and the clock wound down on SUNY New Paltz's fifth win of the season, the home team victorious 3-0.
Deutsch, Kelleher and Treble led the way with a goal a piece. Eisert, on her birthday, dealt out the sole assist on the day, also having a shot on net herself. Franklin had a quiet day in the net, with only one save in the match.
"We have a big week next week," Eisert said. "We have Scranton and RPI coming up, two top-25 opponents... Coming off a win like this I think we are ready to go, we just have to keep putting the work in during practice this week and we should be good."
The Hawks are back in action Wednesday, where they welcome the Scranton Royals to the South Turf. The match begins at 4 p.m.
Game Highlights (by Aiden Duran)
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