Geneva, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz got back on the field for its first road matchup of the season against No. 2 nationally ranked William Smith College Sunday.
 
SUNY New Paltz (1-1 overall) created chances in its offensive third but struggled capitalizing on opportunities and ultimately couldn't hold off an athletic Herons team, falling 3-0.
 
Jess Centeri was the player of the match for SUNY New Paltz. The sophomore goalkeeper earned just her second career start Friday at home where she saw limited action and was called upon numerous times against a talented offensive team Sunday. The Selden, NY native stepped up to the challenge and kept her team in the game throughout the day and finished with a career-high 10 saves.
 
Despite the valiant effort from the Hawks, the ability of William Smith in the midfield, winning back possession on 50-50 chances allowed the hosts to counter quickly and break down SUNY New Paltz's defensive line leading to dangerous opportunities in the offensive third.
 
William Smith was on the front foot at the start of the whistle. Less than two minutes into the game the hosts played a ball over the top and a miscommunication on the backline led to an open man on the weak side, creating a 1-v-1 with Centeri who timed her approach perfectly to get a deflection on the shot. She then made another save off the ensuing corner, corralling the Heron header off the back post.  
SUNY New Paltz settled in and found its own success on the counter as the half waned. In the 11th minute Laney Schmitz did an excellent job winning the ball back in the Herons defensive half and quickly played Brooke Kelleher who ran onto the pass. William Smith keeper Antonia Goerke (four saves) did a good job of coming out to create a 50-50 with the ball deflecting backward on the collision missing just wide of the goal.
 
Kelleher again was the catalyst on a dangerous counter for the Hawks with still 30 minutes to go in the period. The sequence stemmed off sound defensive play by SUNY New Paltz's defensive line, containing a cross played back side and clearing. Mia Baldinger got the ball at her foot and worked a great pass toward Kelleher who played a perfect cross back to an open Addison Weiner running on. However, the Hawks couldn't take advantage of the opportunity as the attempt was cleared holding the 0-0 score.
 
William Smith started controlling the last 20 minutes of the half as it continued winning 50-50 balls in the midfield, which allowed the hosts to catch the Hawks unorganized in the back. Centeri was huge in limiting the push, coming up with countless saves and maintaining a presence off her line. One of her most impressive saves of the half came off a free kick by the Herons who lined a ball far post that found the foot of forward Julia Accioly. Centeri dove and got a hand on the attempt and then got up to make another stop on the rebound to stymy the chance.
 
However, William Smith broke through in the 20th minute. The Herons played a ball deep down the sideline and with a man on her back, Hawks defender Grace Lien played a pass back to Centeri who one-timed a clear down field. The hosts won possession and sent a ball downfield, catching SUNY New Paltz on its heels. The ball slipped through to Charlotte Brown who cut to her left foot, avoiding the approaching Centeri and scored her team's first of the day.
 
William Smith added on with 12 minutes to go in the half, as they won possession off a Centeri punt and quickly transitioned down to its offensive end. Accioly used her 5'6 frame to go up and get a flick on to the feet of Julia Bragg who ripped a shot into the corner of the goal from the top of the box to push her team's lead to 2-0.
 
The Herons almost scored another by half's end for not of the efforts of Hawks defender Allie Ziemak who came in off the bench. A shot by Lily Pryzwansky snuck past Centeri, but the senior outside back was there to clear the ball off the line to preserve the 2-0 score.  
SUNY New Paltz regrouped in the following 45 minutes with the second half more evenly played. The visitors were inches from trimming the difference to one early on in the period, as Alyssa Deutsch was the beneficiary, cutting the ball back to her right and finding Mia Baldinger open at the opposite side of the box, but Georke handled the shot attempt. The Hawks' best chance though came 10 minutes later, as Deutsch and Kelleher worked hard on the press to win the ball back in their team's offensive third which eventually led to a ball played in to Weiner inside the box who found Kennedy Jones for the rip. The shot lasered off the crossbar and back down, seemingly crossing the goal line, but Goerke picked up the rebound before the whole ball went past the line to preserve the two-goal difference.
 
Meanwhile, SUNY New Paltz's defense continued to weather William Smith's attack. In the 59th minute, the hosts were awarded a penalty kick after a Heron was taken down in the box on a through ball played in behind. Ruth Hotaling stepped up to take the kick for William Smith who was 3-for-3 in penalty kick attempts for a Herons team which made it all the way to the National Championship game a year ago. Centeri made sure to put a dent in Hotaling's pk percentage to start the year, as she guessed correct on the left-footed Hotaling who went left. Centeri dove and made the highlight stop giving her team some life after keeping the score at 2-0.
 
SUNY New Paltz maintained more possession from there, but William Smith needed just one more opportunity to catch the Hawks on the counterattack with a ball played over the top. Pryzwansky ran onto the pass and took advantage of the 1-v-1 with Centeri, placing her shot nicely to push the score 3-0.
 
William Smith out-shot the Hawks, 20-7 in the game, including 13-2 in the first half with 14 shots on target to SUNY New Paltz's four. The Herons generated seven corners with the Hawks earning two in the game.
 
Kelleher led the team offensively with two shots, one on goal in 84 minutes. Deutsch played the full 90 minutes and added a shot on goal with Schmitz and center back Grace Lien joining Centeri as the only Hawks to clock in a full 90 minutes of action.
 
SUNY New Paltz non-conference schedule continues next weekend with two more tough opponents, as it competes at the TCNJ Classic. The Hawks are set to face Arcadia Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and the hosting Lions Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
 

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