New Paltz, NY - Nearly a decade later, the State University of New York at New Paltz was finally back in the postseason. Ironically, the Hawks faced the same opponent they did then, Fredonia State, and the result also mirrored their last playoff appearance, a double overtime, penalty kick loss to end the season.
"It's certainly a very difficult way to end your season and for some to end their career," said Hawks coach Mike Eckberg after the 1-1 double overtime, shootout loss on the South Turf Field Saturday. "I think when our student-athletes, including myself has a chance to get away from the season and realize what we just did over the last three months I think they'll be able to put things into prospective that there's some amazing things that took place, individually and collectively as a program.
"Overall, I'm grateful for our student-athletes. Their buy-in, their relentless work ethic, their commitment to our process, which is incredibly rigorous and every single day we're putting
No. 4 seeded SUNY New Paltz and the No. 5 Blue Devils had played double overtime the last time they faced Oct. 15 with the result the same, a 1-1 tie. Like in their first matchup, Fredonia got up early and on Saturday, the visitors took just three minutes before putting the first score on the board.
With the Hawks caught up in numbers, a big boot from Fredonia's backline sailed high and over SUNY New Paltz's backline with the Blue Devils' Katie Sellers able to run on and create a 1-v-1 with keeper Kyra Russo. Sellers hit her attempt over Russo as the sophomore came out to cut the angle and Fredonia quickly came up with its lead.
"I just felt as though in transition we weren't doing well," Eckberg said. "We certainly weren't doing well with first and second balls early in the first half. I thought it was better in the second half. I just felt as though we really didn't win the middle third at any part of the game, which obviously leads us to build quality attacks going to goal. I just think overall, whether it was the pressure of a playoff game, whether it was a lack of urgency with the three tiers of communication that we always emphasize between name, instruction and urgency. So overall, disappointed on the day and disappointed with what we put together. Couldn't be prouder of the team as a collective whole throughout the year."
The Blue Devils continued to play direct for most of the game and nearly came up with another goal off a big switch over to Gabby Alston on the right side. Alston beat her defender and created a dangerous chance with her initial ball played inside the box creeping out to right back Nicki Barlow running on who fired a hard-struck shot, but Russo did a nice job corralling the attempt on a collapsed dive to her right.
SUNY New Paltz's first real opportunity came in the 20th minute, as Siena Diaz-Colon did well to win the ball in the midfield and switch the point of attack, finding Dana Salinas who played a ball down the sideline to Ally Donovan. Donovan sent a cross in toward the six for Maggie Cameron who got a head on the pass, but her attempt went just wide of goal.
Lisette Palomo came off the bench for the Hawks and gave productive minutes, narrowly putting away the equalizer in the 36th minute. Salinas played a nifty touch pass through the box to create a 1-v-1 situation with Palomo and Blue Devils' keeper Sabrina Suriani, but Suriani came out big and managed to get her body in front of Palomo's attempt to deflect the shot wide of goal. However, SUNY New Paltz capitalized on the ensuing corner. Played in by Alexis DeLeo, Jess Funke soared over the heard at the six to get a head on the cross. Her attempt careened off the cross bar, but Cailin Ruoti hustled to find the loose ball in front and sent a lofted, left-footed shot into the corner of the net over the hands of Suriani and heads of Fredonia's back, for the score.
"We definitely look to find Funke and Katie [Buquicchio] a lot on the crosses because they're really good with their head," Ruoti said. "I saw it hit the cross bar and it was kind of bouncing around and I made contact with my left foot - which felt really good, because I'm a righty - and it just kind of scooped in really softly over the keepers hands and it just felt so good. I didn't think it went in at first and then it was almost this relief like, 'we got this.' We're in this game still, because all we really needed was one goal. I think it really lifted everyone's spirits. It lifted my spirits and it pushed everyone to really step up their game the rest of the time."
GOOAAALLL!!! And we're all tied up!! @cailinr17 puts away the rebound off the intial header from Funke that hits cross bar and just like that Hawks & Fredonia all tied 1-1 '6 left 1H @newpaltz @SUNYACsports #NPHawks #NPWS #SUNYAC pic.twitter.com/D0M5cvtFeP
- New Paltz Hawks (@nphawks) October 30, 2021
Ruoti became the first Hawk to score in a postseason game since Chelsea Weir in 2012 - who, ironically, also scored on a loose ball in the box following a corner to tie the game against Fredonia. Ruoti's goal was pivotal, as the game remained a stalemate for the following 70 minutes.
"Coming into playoffs it's either you win, or you're done, and I went into the game, I didn't start and I was thinking like, 'this is it.' I don't know if I'm going to have another game after this. I want to go in and make a difference, and do whatever I can," Ruoti said. "I'm going to remember this forever. It felt good to be able to contribute in that way and, there's video which helps, but it felt great to do it with this amazing group of girls and amazing group of coaches as well."
The second half, still tied at one, saw the Blue Devils create dangerous chances early. A quick switch by Fredonia led to a good look on net for Kayleigh Daniels, but Russo made the easy save that landed in the middle of the frame. Five minutes later off a Hawks free kick, the Blue Devils countered the other way that resulted in another 1-v-1 situation. This time, Russo was there to make the leg save on a shot by Daniels in the box to preserve the tie.
Neither team threatened a change of score until the final five minutes. Barlow saw another good look from outside the 18-yard box on a loose ball played out, but her attempt was at Russo. A minute later, she was hit with a card on a foul on Ruoti. The ensuing free kick played near midfield by Emma Voege landed in the box with the Blue Devils having trouble clearing away, but the Hawks couldn't take advantage and Suriani picked up the save. Sellers had one last look in regulation with time winding down, but again Russo was there on the stop leading to overtime.
"On the day I don't think we were as sharp as we should have been, technically, tactically and certainly physically as well," Eckberg said. "I just felt as though a lot of our 50-50's were 60-40 in Fredonia's favor. I don't think we created much."
Both teams had chances for the golden goal in the first extra 10 minutes of action. Cameron earned a foul just outside the edge of the 18-yard box, leading to a dangerous ball played back post by Voege who found the head of Funke. However, Funke couldn't re-direct toward goal and the Blue Devils ultimately cleared the away, resulting in a fast-break opportunity. Finding space down the right side, Alston beat her defender again and ripped a shot that flew just wide of goal. SUNY New Paltz couldn't get the ball out of its defensive half with the Blue Devils winning the ball back and then finding Sellers who was inches from putting the game away, but Russo got up and made a great save touching the shot over the cross bar.
The final 10 minutes of action ended with the same result and a penalty kick shootout ensued. Senior Danielle Angyal stepped in as the keeper for the Hawks during penalties and saw her first attempt go wide to give SUNY New Paltz the advantage after Palomo buried the opening penalty.
"Certainly, Kyra Russo has been a rock for us all year," Eckberg said. "We just felt as though throughout training and what we've seen D has put herself in position to earn that spot and it just felt like she was a little bit better with the repetitions that we were taking throughout the week."
Donovan made the Hawks second attempt with Jordan Barrett countering with a goal for Fredonia. SUNY New Paltz missed its next two chances with Rachel Eisert missing wide and Suriani making the save with a tip over the cross bar on DeLeo's attempt. The Blue Devils put away their last two kicks, both well-placed in the corner, to advance on to the semifinal round.
Fredonia edged the Hawks in shots, 20-16, including 10-8 on target, while also earning more corners in the game, 5-3. Eisert led SUNY New Paltz in shots with three, followed by Donovan, Cameron, DeLeo and Ruoti who each had two. Russo finished with nine saves, playing the full 110 minutes. She, Funke, DeLeo, Ciara Devlin and Katie Buquicchio were the only Hawks to play the full match.
SUNY New Paltz ends its season 7-5-4 overall and 5-2-2 in SUNYAC, including 5-0-4 at home. It surpassed their last two season's win totals combined and conceded five or less losses for the first time since 2012.
"It's really hard because I really wish I could be a part of it in the years to come, but I know these group of girls are really incredible and they're really looking forward to what's to come," Ruoti said. "I think this is going to set the bar high for them. They know they need to make playoffs again and they're going to make playoffs again. It's possible and I think they're really connected. This was a really tough season mentally for a lot of us, but we know it's possible now. I think everyone is really excited for what's to come."
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