ONEONTA, NY - Visiting Union College came away with a 2-0 victory over Hartwick's women's soccer team on Tuesday night on Elmore Field. The Dutchwomen, who are ranked 7th in the latest NSCAA East Regional poll, improved to 9-2 on the year. The Hawks slip to 5-3-1 and fall for the first time since a 1-0 loss to Allegheny in the Mayor's Cup on September 12th.
Sisters Jennifer and Melissa Mansfield did much of the damage for the Dutchwomen on the evening with both players registering a goal. Jennifer Mansfield opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and sister Melissa tacked on a tally late in the game to close out the scoring.
Union ended the contest with a 17-11 edge in shots despite the Hawks holding a 7-5 advantage in the first 45 minutes of action. Melissa Mansfield set up the Dutchwomen's opening goal as she got to the end line on the right side of Hartwick's goal. She slipped a low pass to her older sister who put the ball away for a 1-0 lead. Hartwick keeper Alyssa Rondo (Saco, ME/Thornton Academy) got a piece of the shot but could not keep it out of the net.
'Wick had perhaps its best scoring chance of the first half roughly 10 minutes after Union's goal. Junior right back Sayde Whitman (Eagle Bridge, NY/Hoosick Falls) played a ball from the right sideline from into the middle to freshman Lysandra Tetreault (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) whose volley from 30 yards out caught Union goalie Abby Stohler out of net but the ball inched over the crossbar.
In the second half, Union took several hard shots on the 'Wick net but could not get the insurance marker. The Dutchwomen had a solid chance with roughly 20 minutes to go but a Melissa Mansfield header off a corner kick was cleared off the line by a Hawk defender. Virtually all other Union shots were turned away by Rondo, who ended the half with six stops.
Emily Thorndike (Dover, MA/Dover Sherborn) had the last good chance for Hartwick with 10 minutes left, but her shot went just high from 25 yards away.
The Dutchwomen finally broke through for their second goal after a long ball from Michaela Katz sent Melissa Mansfield in alone on a 25 yard breakaway. She patiently dribbled into the box and beat Rondo low to her left for a two-goal lead with only 1:19 to play.
The Hawks get back to Empire 8 play this weekend with a pair of critical matches. Hartwick, which is 2-0-1 in the conference and in sole possession of third place, travels to St. John Fisher on Saturday and the Hawks then host RIT on Sunday.
