New Paltz Sports Information Department
New Paltz, NY — For the first time in program history, the State University of New York at New Paltz are onto a SUNYAC Semifinal.
In a statement win, controlling the game from start to finish, the No. 3 seeded Hawks knocked off the No. 6 seeded Oneonta Red Dragons Saturday on North Turf Field and earned their first ever playoff victory, rolling to a 17-5 statement win.
"Coming into this season, we sat down, and we discussed what our team motto was going to be and that was to 'handle hard,' which we have done all season," said SUNY New Paltz sophomore midfielder Morgan Atwater. "The team dynamic as well has been so amazing. We're a family. We love each other and I've never been a part of a team where everyone gets along so well, and it shows on the field. We come out with such amazing goals. We have such good chemistry, and it really just makes me take a step back and realize how thankful I am to be here playing lacrosse, and at SUNY New Paltz with this team. I wouldn't want to play with any other team other than these guys."
Atwater, having a breakout season in her second year with the program after transferring last spring from Division I Gardner-Webb, was critical on the draw for her team in the game. The sophomore was able to help the Hawks win possession on 20 of 27 draws in the game allowing the hosts to dominate in possession.
Coach Randy Vite made sure to make some minor tweaks from Wednesday's regular season finale, which was a tighter contest as the Hawks earned a more slight, 13-9 victory.
"We came up with ground balls today. We said if there is a ball down, we've got to pick it up and we did just that," Atwater said. "And our defense has been shifting in-and-out of different zones all year. Coach said we're going in and out of different zones and we said, 'ok we can do that.' And we did that, and we came out with the win."
SUNY New Paltz had one of the best games defensively as well, limiting an Oneonta team that averaged 11 goals per game heading into the matchup to just 13 shots and four goals through nearly 56 minutes of action before the Red Dragons capped their offensive output with a man-down goal with about four minutes left.
Meanwhile, the Hawks were efficient offensively. They scored on their first four possessions and jumped out to a commanding 8-2 lead by halftime spurred by a 5-0 run to end the first quarter.
"Going into practice this week, we focused on shooting to score, and I think we did that today," Atwater said. "We beat them by 12 and we shot to score. We shot to win, we shot to get more."
Oneonta answered with a goal deep in the shot clock to start the first quarter at 1-1 after Kaitlyn Shaw gave SUNY New Paltz the initial lead less than 30 seconds in. Atwater answered, as she found space at the top of the elbow, splitting two defenders for her first of the day. Shaw added on, catching and finishing on a driving cut from the top with Lexi Atwater then pushing the lead o 4-1 after catching and finishing off stick hip for the goal.
SUNY New Paltz's defense anchored in for six straight possessions, forcing four turnovers in the span. The first off of a throwaway thanks to pressure behind the cage from Francesca Corozzo. Then next time down, Corozzo, Grace Berardi and Sam Wohlmut crashed hard as the Red Dragons attempted to drive to the net, forcing a turnover with Berardi picking up the ground ball and getting it down field which led to another score from Shaw to push the lead to 6-1.
Oneonta had an opportunity to swing some momentum its way before quarter's end, as it held possession on its offensive end. The Red Dragons wore time down and got a seemingly open look on frame with a few seconds left, but Corozzo got her stick out to deflect the shot and keep the five-goal cushion for her team at the period.
The freshmen took over to start the first quarter, as Allison Beattie fed Ava Padilla for her first of the day to open up the period with Padilla then assisting Lexi Atwater about 30 seconds later following a draw control with by Shaw.
Oneonta came back to cut the difference to five early in the second half, scoring back-to-back goals, including a man-up goal following a green card by Padilla to create a 9-4 score. The Hawks settled in and re-focused as they rattled off five straight in the next four-minute span to create a running clock.
SUNY New Paltz slowed the game down in the fourth and milked long possessions to help solidify the 12-goal win. Shaw was the offensive catalyst, as the senior captain scored a game-high six goals with two assists, while adding three ground balls and a game-high eight draw controls. Lexi Atwater followed with four goals and an assist, while adding three draw controls. Mia Baldinger and Morgan Atwater each had four points with Atwater also totaling a game-high eight draw controls.
The Hawks dominated in nearly every statistical category. They out-shot Oneonta, 35-13, had more ground balls (16-11) and owned the draw (20-7). Gabriella Tommaso made some big stops in net and finished with four saves in the win.
The magical run continues for SUNY New Paltz, as it will travel to Western New York to face No. 2 seeded Geneseo. The Knights defeated the Hawks in a close 9-6 game in their first outing April 20. In a season of milestones, SUNY New paltz is going into the matchup hungry for a spot in its first SUNYAC Championship.
"Geneseo is a very good team and they came out with very high pressure on us. I just think we have to beat one to put it in the net and we'll come out with that win," Atwater added. "If you lose you're done, so coach said we have to come out unsatisfied. We won today, but we have work to do, so we have to get that done. We're unsatisfied with today. As soon as we step on that field on Monday, we're unsatisfied. We got to get more."
The SUNYAC Semifinal is scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m. at SUNY Geneseo.
Post-Game Interview Featuring Morgan Atwater
