New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz played its first home game of the 2025 season Saturday on North Turf Field and after getting off to a hot start a tumultuous second half consisting of five cards allowed visiting Endicott to stick around and eventually claim a 3-2 victory over the Hawks.
 
SUNY New Paltz held strong defensively as Endicott held possession inside the Hawks' defensive half for most of the opening first quarter. The visitors didn't earn anything too dangerous with their best attempt at cage coming from senior Tori Swanson whose lift inside the circle skimmed just high and wide of Gail Comiskey in net.
 
Comiskey played tough throughout the 60 minutes and was aggressive coming out of goal. As SUNY New Paltz was hit with its first of four green cards of the game, she made a sliding tackle to keep the Gulls off the board in a man-up situation. The Hawks took hold of the loose ball and transitioned the other way with Rachel Tama helping her team earn a corner. Sophia Bronzi ripped a shot toward cage off the set play, but Endicott goalie answered with a nice save off her pads.
 
The Hawks ultimately struck first, as Tama did the defensive work on the press to win the ball back for her team in the middle of the field. She worked the ball up to Ashley McGough who earned a stroke as her shot was heading into the net. McGough stepped up and rocketed her attempt top corner to push her team ahead, 1-0 with four minutes left in the second quarter.
 
SUNY New Paltz doubled up its lead in the third thanks to Maya O'Keefe. McGough originally earned her team a corner to start the period with the insert going to Tama. The ball skirted out to O'Keefe who had a great opportunity for the equalizer but her shot went just wide of goal. The junior made up for the chance next time down the field. Sophia Bronzi helped start the sequence, getting down for a tackle to win the ball back in her team's offensive 25, resulting in a scoring opportunity in the circle. Off a rebound from an initial shot by Miranda Britton, O'Keefe again was in perfect position for the rebound and made sure to capitalize as her shot hit off a defender and back into the goal to push her team's lead to 2-0.  
The Gulls answered four minutes later, beating Comiskey high in front of goal to get within one. Britton then was handed a five-minute yellow card for aggressive play. Comiskey made a clutch pad save on an ensuing corner to keep the score at 2-1 but ultimately Endicott capitalized on the man-up opportunity scoring on a fast-break to tie the game at 2-2.
 
SUNY New Paltz were down two to start the fourth which included captain and reigning All-American forward Rachel Tama. A miscommunication from the head official on re-entries on cards led to another card for the Hawks with Tama as speaking captain serving the penalty. McGough was then given a green and SUNY New Paltz needed to withstand a Gulls surge down two for two minutes of play before going man-down for the next four minutes. Tama was forced to sit for the majority of the period stalling the Hawks' attack.
 
Comiskey made another huge stop, diving out on a 1-v-1 with eight minutes to go to hold onto the draw, but Endicott found the back of the net one last time off a corner. Following the insert, Gulls' Abby Antonelli fired a shot that deflected off Elizabeth Austin's stick who was flying out from cage. Comiskey, shielded, couldn't find the rebound and the ball sailed past her top corner for the go-ahead goal.
 
SUNY New Paltz had chances for the tie in the final five minutes. Madeline Meyer laid down a nasty 1-on-1 tackle down the sideline before finding O'Keefe who worked her way past two defenders to get the ball into the circle, leading to a corner. The Hawks had two looks on goal but couldn't put the ball away with Endicott clearing. The hosts had one last opportunity with a minute left as the Gulls were given their first card of the afternoon, but SUNY New Paltz couldn't gain possession in its circle to put anything dangerous on frame, solidifying the 3-2 outcome.
 
Endicott out-shot the Hawks, 21-8, including 20-7 in shots on goal, but SUNY New Paltz garnered more set pieces, tallying seven corners to the Gulls' five. Tama and O'keefe led the team with three and two shots apiece and defensively, Comiskey ended with a career-high 15 saves, while Meyer totaled two defensive saves.
 
SUNY New Paltz dropped to 1-2 overall with the loss while Endicott improved to 2-1. The Hawks are back in action Wednesday, going on the road to face Skidmore at 4 p.m.


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