ONEONTA, NY - Hartwick built a two-goal lead and prevailed over Elmira College on Saturday afternoon at Elmore Field. With the victory, the Hawks improve to 3-1 in the Empire 8 standings and into a second-place tie with St. John Fisher (3-3). It also sets the stage for a battle between the top two teams in the tables tomorrow at Elmore.
'Wick has now won two straight E8 matches and has been tough to beat in close games in conference play. All four of the Hawks' league matches have been one-goal games, three of them going in the Blue and White's favor.
The Hawks took control of the match early as they scored on its first opportunity of the day just one and a half minutes from the opening kickoff. Junior Briana Crow (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) ripped a shot on goal from in close which was turned away by Elmira goalkeeper Karissa Wilson. The rebound, however, went to freshman outside midfielder Emily Thorndike (Dover, MA/Dover Sherborn) who was there to tuck the ball into an open net for her first collegiate goal.
The Hawks were fortunate to catch a break exactly 27 minutes later to go up 2-0. Sophomore midfielder Katelyn Bosy (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) took a corner kick from the right side of the goal which Wilson tried to bat out of the air. Instead, she redirected the ball into her own net to push 'Wick further ahead.
Elmira's best chance of the half came off a header from Natty Vogler that was cleared off the line by a 'Wick back in the 24th minute. At the end of the first half, both teams registered seven shots with Hartwick holding a 7-4 edge in corners.
The Soaring Eagles surprised the Hawks in the opening seven minutes of the second half as they cut the deficit on a nice finish. Katya Harris served a ball into the box from the left side of the net which was one-timed out of the air by Rachael Bromson past a diving Alyssa Rondo (Saco, ME/Thornton Academy) to make it a 2-1 game.
Hartwick held on to the lead but continued to move forward, out-shooting the Soaring Eagles 10-2. EC's best chance came in the 59th minute when a cross was redirected by a Hartwick defender on an attempted clear but the ball was safely corralled by Rondo. 'Wick backs Marissa Mackay (Stillwater, NY/Stillwater), Frances Nesi (Metuchen, NJ/Union Catholic), Julie Kessler (Canton, CT/Canton), and Sayde Whitman (Eagle Bridge, NY/Hoosick Falls) shut down the Soaring Eagles the rest of the way, not allowing a shot in the final 32 minutes.
Rondo would make two saves in the game for the winners. Wilson would stop nine Hartwick shots on the afternoon.
Hartwick hosts nationally 8th ranked Ithaca tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Elmore. The 9-2 Bombers are also in first place in the conference with a 6-0 mark.
