New Paltz, NY — Mattie Betts saved her first career goal for one of the biggest moments of the regular season.
The State University of New York New Paltz hosted SUNYAC rival SUNY Cortland Saturday on North Turf Field with the Hawks looking for their first win over the Red Dragons in four years, as potential postseason hosting duties on the line. With the game tied at 1-1, SUNY New Paltz sophomore forward
Ashley McGough weaved past her defender to get end line and sent a beautiful pass across the cage for an open Betts, who one-timed a swing that just beat Red Dragons goalie Emma Morgan (six saves) underneath her pads to push her team ahead, 2-1, which untimely stood as the game-winner.
The game held extra weight, as the win pushed the Hawks to 3-0 in the SUNYAC and slid Cortland to 1-2, all but helping SUNY New Paltz's pursuit in a potential host sight for the SUNYAC Tournament despite newly added Salisbury University, which currently ranks third in the nation looming. The top northeast school in the SUNYAC will play host to all four teams the weekend of Nov. 7-8.
The Hawks got on the board first, thanks to the effort of
Miranda Britton who was persistent in winning the ball back inside her team's offensive 25. The hosts pounced off the turnover, as Britton fed McGough running through the middle. McGough then slipped a pass to a wide-open
Rachel Tama and the reigning NFHCA All-American did the rest, beating a defender before drawing out Morgan and sending a reverse stick lifted into the cage for the 1-0 lead six minutes into the first quarter.
Cortland evened the game with two minutes remaining in the half after earning a corner on a foot foul in the circle. The Red Dragons played the ball in to Lillian Morse who fed a pass to Adrienne Mayes. Mayes, with space, took advantage and ripped a shot that beat Hawks goalie
Gail Comiskey near side for the equalizer.
The second half was evenly matched with both teams totaling five shots apiece, but SUNY New Paltz took advantage of one of their three shots in the third quarter with Betts as the beneficiary. The play stemmed off a win in the defensive end by Maya O'Keefe who found
Meghan Gunning who transitioned the ball down field. The Hawks maintained possession on their offensive end and following a long hit, the ball found the stick of McGough who worked her defender before centering a pass for Betts waiting in front of goal for the game-winner.
Both teams had eight shots on target with SUNY New Paltz holding the slight advantage in shots, 9-8 with Cortland earning slightly more corners, 6-5. Britton led the team with three shots, followed by Tama and McGough each with two. Comiskey earned her seventh win of the year after totaling seven stops.
SUNY New Paltz (8-4 overall) is back in action Tuesday, hosting No. 1 nationally ranked Christopher Newport on North Turf Field at 11 a.m.
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