New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz 2025 season came to an end Friday, falling in overtime 2-1 to No. 3 seeded Cortland.
The No. 2 seeded Hawks earned hosting duties following a regular season win on North Turf Field against the Red Dragons by the same score, but the hosts couldn't take advantage of numerous man-up opportunities and ultimately, the Red Dragons came away with the golden goal that pushed them to their eighth straight SUNYAC finals appearance where they will face conference newcomer and No. 1 seed Salisbury University.
The game was scoreless entering halftime with the two teams combining for four shots total within the opening 30 minutes. SUNY New Paltz's first shot came in the 21st minute, which stemmed off a
Madeline Meyer tackle, flying out to defend a Cortland penalty corner. Meyer won back the ball and quickly started the Hawks up field as
Maya Okeefe played
Miranda Britton into space to create numbers forward. Britton worked a pass to reigning All-American forward
Rachel Tama who earned a corner on the sequence as she got into the circle.
Britton inserted the ensuing corner to Tama, but the senior couldn't get enough on the attempt at cage with her shot going wide of frame.
The Hawks eventually got on the board eight minutes into the second half, as Britton helped her team to a penalty corner finding a Red Dragons foot in the circle. She inserted on a fake to Tama with Meyer getting the ball at her stick. She fed senior
Meghan Gunning who sent a rip toward goal with Britton there on the post to tip the shot into the goal for her ninth of the season.
Gallery: (11-7-2025) Field Hockey vs. Cortland Semifinal
Cortland answered just before the end of the quarter, as it worked the ball into its circle with
Gail Comiskey coming up with three-straight saves. The Red Dragons earned back-to-back corners in the sequence and in a scrum on the latest attempt the whistle blew on a video review for a penalty stroke. After deliberation, the officials awarded the stroke, and the Red Dragons took advantage with Comiskey guessing right on the shot, but the pace stick-side high was enough to evade the senior to tie the contest at a goal apiece.
The score gave Cortland some life to start the fourth quarter, but Comiskey was there playing big. She made consecutive saves, one on an impressive stack on the Red Dragons' Tori Peterson five minutes in. SUNY New Paltz couldn't clear its zone, however, and Cortland registered two more corners, but the initial shot by Sadie Hoffmann was saved by Comiskey with her second attempt going wide of goal.
The Hawks had a prime opportunity to take the lead in the final five minutes as Hoffmann was given a yellow card on a collision with Meyer in the middle of the field. Tama was the only shot recorded in the man-up situation with Lillian Morse registering the defensive save on the attempt. Neither team found the go-ahead goal in regulation, resulting in a 7-v-7, golden goal extra time.
SUNY New Paltz were handed another man-up opportunity a minute into overtime, as the Red Dragons' Olivia Specht was given a yellow. However, the game soon went back even as Meyer was given a green card as well following a deliberation between the officials. The Red Dragons were the beneficiary of the 6-v-6 capitalizing on the Hawks' best defender in Meyer sitting in the box. Cortland won back possession and pushed with Kaylee Hughen working left and sending a laser of a reverse stick that painted the top corner, just out of the reach of Comiskey, for the game-winner.
Tama led the team offensively with three shots, two on target, with Britton the only other Hawk to tally a shot, adding two, including the team's only score of the afternoon. Comiskey finished with eight stops.
Cortland held the advantage in shots, 11-5, and shots on target, 10-3, with eight penalty corners to the Hawks' two.
SUNY New Paltz finishes the 2025 season 10-9 overall and 4-1 in the SUNYAC. It graduates a big senior class that have been the backbone of the program since 2023, which includes Tama, Britton, Meyer, Comiskey, Gunning, starting outside back
Madelyn Graves and forward
Ayden Fleming.
The win advances Cortland onto the championship round against the No. 5 nationally ranked and top-seeded Gulls Saturday on North Turf Field at 12 p.m.
Gallery: (11-7-2025) FH v Cortland SUNYAC Semis 11/7/25
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