New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz lost 17-7 to visiting WestConn Tuesday on North Turf Field.
 
The Hawks (0-4 overall) struggled with unforced turnovers with the Wolves (4-2) also holding the advantage at the faceoff X and, with the extra possessions they in turn out-shot the hosts, 55-30 resulting in what ended as a 10-point win galvanized from a 12-2 first half.
 
SUNY New Paltz capitalized first, scoring on its first offensive set. Finn Smith made an athletic play to reel in a pass from Nick Darcangelo one-handed before finishing in front of net to give his team a 1-0 lead. WestConn answered immediately, however, winning the ensuing faceoff and getting behind the defense and beating Hawks goalie Jacob Kenny (six saves) low for the score. A foul afterward gave the Wolves a free offensive possession, as they were awarded the ball after the goal and went 2-for-1, painting the top corner to quickly move themselves in front. 
 
The ball literally bounced the way of WestConn, as the Hawks defense anchored in on a late defensive set Luke Walters and Aidan Harrington helped jar the ball loose from a Wolves attackman, but the loose ball popped from one WestConn stick directly to another, and the visitors capitalized with a laser past Kenny for the goal.
 
Killian Yombor answered for SUNY New Paltz, rounding the crease and beating Wolves goalie Jake Kelly (13 saves) low for his first of the day to trim the deficit, 4-2 with about nine minutes left in the quarter.
 
A faceoff win by WestConn resulted in a quick goal from the visitors and it added one more in the final minute of the period to create a 6-2 lead entering the second.
 
 
The Wolves created a comfortable cushion in the second, taking advantage of Hawks miscues. After scoring to open up the quarter, WestConn found the back of the net five minutes later once again, capitalizing on a turnover by SUNY New Paltz on the other side of the field. The Hawks were awarded their first man-up opportunity on a tripping called with five minutes to go in the half, but SUNY New Paltz never got a shot off as it threw the ball away, unpressured, seconds into the set to allow WestConn to clear and milk the penalty. The Wolves then capitalized with a goal before rattling off three more in the final four minutes to swing momentum and create a chasm in score, going up 12-2 at the break.    
The Hawks rallied in the third, led by two defensemen in junior midfielder Luke Walters and senior long-pole midfielder Sean Cassidy. Following a save from Zach Novak (12 saves) who started the second half for SUNY New Paltz, Walters and Cassidy helped clear the ball the other way with Walters finding space and finishing on his second of the year to start the period. After a WestConn goal at about the 12-minute mark, Cassidy hustled off the wing to pick up the ground ball off a faceoff win by Ryan O'Hara and took it the length of the field for his second of the season.
 
Novak came up with another stop following a turnover on the offensive end for the Hawks, but the team capitalized next time down the field, as Smith finished on a find from Jack McLaughlin to cut the score, 13-5 with seven minutes to go in the quarter.
 
Both teams held each other off the scoreboard entering the fourth with Smith putting away two more in the final 11 minutes of the game to get SUNY New Paltz within seven with six minutes left. However, the offense stalled there as WestConn piled on two quick goals and one more insurance goal with two minutes to go to stave away any thought of a Hawks comeback.
 
Smith was the Hawks top point-getter, finishing with four goals on six shots with two ground balls. Nick Darcangelo followed with three assists and one ground ball. Cassidy was the best player of the field for the hosts, as he finished with a goal, an assist, a team-high three ground balls and one caused turnover. Poles Aidan Harrington and Drew Hulede also added a ground ball and a caused turnover, respectively.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Saturday, going on the road to face Misericordia for a 1 p.m. matchup.


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