Erin Spicer | Staffwriter
The Oneonta women’s field hockey team squared off against Hartwick last Wednesday for their third game of the season. Hartwick and Oneonta have been battling to be best on the hill for the last four years. Hoping to redeem themselves, Oneonta prepared to defeat the Hawks this time around. Hartwick started the game with an early goal scored by Allyson Quirk, but the Red Dragons were quick to recover. Freshman Ally McCrudden tied the score on a breakaway and beat the goalie one-on-one with a pass from junior Cali Cortese. Later, Oneonta junior Chloe Lynch scored from the top of the circle off an assist from freshman Sophia Little on a set play from the corner. The Red Dragons were able to hold the lead, with Sophomore Kristy Campana fighting off several attempts from Hartwick’s offense. Campana finished the half with five saves, while Allyson Osborne finished with four saves.
Oneonta maintained their lead for the first ten minutes of the second quarter. Both teams struggled to find opportunities to score. Hartwick broke the back-and-forth with a goal from Brooke Singer which tied the game at two. The Red Dragons responded with an aggressive attack on offense. Chloe Lynch was almost able to break the tie with a penalty stroke at the end of the second quarter, but Hartwick goalie Allyson Osbourne kept it out of the cage. The score remained tied at the end of the half despite the Red Dragons efforts.
The Red Dragons started the second half by dominating the third quarter of the game. Oneonta’s offense put up six shots on the Hartwick goal and kept the action on Hartwick’s side of the field. Oneonta prevented the Hawks from putting up any shots on goal. Oneonta also lead in penalty corners against Hartwick 8-0. Hartwick’s defense was able to fend off Oneonta for the rest of the quarter, keeping the score tied at two.
Both teams started the fourth quarter exchanging scoring opportunities and making impressive recoveries. Cali Cortese received a green card that took her out of the game, which left the Red Dragons scrambling to keep up with Hartwick’s offense. Shortly after, Sydney Gagnon from Hartwick scored a goal placing the Hawks ahead by one with four minutes left in the game. Oneonta put up three more penalty shots that Hartwick kept out of the cage and were almost able to tie the score during a last minute scramble in the last minute of the game. Hartwick’s goalie was able to clear the ball, and the Red Dragons were defeated 3-2. This is Hartwick’s second victory in a row over Oneonta.
The Red Dragon field hockey team has 12 freshmen this year with 13 returning players. While the team may be young, it is full of potential and passion for the game. The team played away against Gwynedd Mercy this past weekend, making their record for this season 2-2. Last year, Oneonta finished second in the SUNYACs. Oneonta’s senior captains Jessica Kehoe, Alise Anson, and junior Grace Bilow will be leading the team as they attempt to advance to the SUNYACs once again. The Oneonta field hockey team plays again this Wednesday, September 11 at Houghton College hoping to improve their record to 3-2.
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