Buffalo, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz begins its 2025 postseason run Saturday on the road against the fourth seeded Bengals of Buffalo State.
 
The Hawks enter their fifth-straight postseason holding the No. 5 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament after finishing the regular season at 7-3-6 overall and 3-1-5 in the SUNYAC. The fifth consecutive appearance for the team is the longest run in program history, as they continue their pursuit in defending their SUNYAC title from a season ago.
 
When the two teams met Oct. 18 on South Turf Field, the Hawks were honoring their large and coveted senior class prior to the game with all eight seniors earning the start. With emotions heightened in front of large home crowd the Bengals took advantage and scored early to grab a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute on a 1-v-1 with SUNY New Paltz sophomore goalie Jess Centeri. The half was flat for the Hawks the rest of the period, but they regrouped in the following 45 minutes and put away the equalizer in the 53rd minute. Addison Weiner was credited with the goal, as her shot on target slipped through the hands of Buffalo State goalie Abby Williams (nine saves) and slowly crossed the goal line to tie the game at 1-1.
 
The match was cut short in the 71st minute due to an injury on the field, which cemented the point apiece for both teams. In the time played, SUNY New Paltz had out-shot Buffalo State, 15-4, including 10-3 in shots on goal, and had ripped eight shots to just one in the 26 minutes of second half action.  
SUNY New Paltz and the Bengals are even in the matchup all-time with nine wins, nine losses and six ties among them. However, the Hawks have won the last four until this season's 1-1 draw. When they went up to Buffalo a season ago SUNY New Paltz came away with a 3-1 win, but each goal scorer in that victory is no longer on the roster for the Hawks due to graduation.
 
This season, SUNY New Paltz's offense is led by senior forward Brooke Kelleher who paces the team in points with five goals and four assists thus far. Senior midfielder and co-captain Mia Baldinger follows offensively, adding four goals and three assists with senior forward Addison Weiner totaling five goals and an assist through 16 games.
 
Defensively, the team is led by standout sophomore goalkeeper Centeri, who in 13 games played has posted 56 saves on 109 shots faced with a save percentage of .875 and a goals-against-average of .66. In conference play, she made six starts, registered 24 saves and allowed only two goals against with no losses in that span. In front of Centeri is a re-vamped backline featuring senior center back Sam Wohlmut, sophomore Grace Lien, who moved from center back to right and graduate left back Maggie Cameron with sophomore Kara Jahrsdoerfer slotting into the center back spot next to Wohlmut the last few games, which has boded well. Through the last four games for the Hawks, the defense has allowed just 18 shots and two goals against.
 
For Buffalo State, senior midfielder Emily Maczka leads the team with 16 points on four goals and eight assists, playing in all 18 matches thus far with 17 starts for the Bengals. She was the team's lone goal scorer against SUNY New Paltz during their regular season matchup. Sophomore forward Oliva Kilmer follows with six goals and an assist, while senior midfielder Kaylee Valentic matches Kilmer with 13 points on five goals and three assists in 17 games played.
 
Overall, the Bengals (7-6-5, 4-2-3), average just more than two goals per game, while conceding 1.56 goals a contest against. In SUNYAC play, they have totaled 19 goals for — 13 of which came in blowout wins over Morrisville (8-1) and Canton (5-0) — while yielding eight against.
 
SUNY New Paltz, meanwhile, has totaled 30 goals on the year, averaging 1.88 goals per game, while conceding just 11 against for a .69 average. In SUNYAC play though, the Hawks have totaled 17 goals with 11 coming from 7-0 and 4-0 routs over the Roos and Mustangs, respectively.
 
The Hawks secured a spot in the conference tournament after rolling to a dominant 7-0 win on the road over Canton Saturday. Cortland secured the top seed with Plattsburgh earning No. 2 with the two programs earning a bye into the semifinal round with hosting duties to-boot. SUNY New Paltz tied both teams in the regular season, 0-0 with their only loss in the SUNYAC coming against No. 3 seeded Fredonia on the road, 3-2. Buffalo State then secured the fourth seed with Oswego snatching the last spot in the tournament at No. 6 with SUNY New Paltz tying the Lakers in the regular season, 0-0.
 
The Hawks are set to face the Bengals Saturday at Coyer Field in the quarterfinal round at 12 p.m. The winner will move onto the semis Wednesday at No. 1 seeded Cortland
 
Click here, to view the full Women's Soccer SUNYAC Tournament bracket.
 

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