Field Hockey | 11/3/2016 11:11:00 AM
PITTSFORD, NY – "Anything can happen" is Hartwick head field hockey coach
Anna Meyer's motto heading into the 2016 Empire 8 Championships this weekend. In the semifinal round on Friday, November 4
th, no. 3 Hartwick will have the opportunity to avenge an earlier-season loss to no. 2 Washington and Jefferson at 6:30 p.m.
Not only are the Hawks looking to beat a team which handed them just their second loss of the season eight games in, but also get another chance at a team who has historically prohibited them from championship opportunities.
Meyer began, "We're excited that we're playing [Wash. and Jeff.]. We were very disappointed with how our regular-season game against them ended and allowing them to score on what we feel was a poor defensive situation."
In just their third league game of the season, the Hawks and then-unbeaten Presidents nearly drew after 70 minutes of play until a goal with a little over a minute remaining would shift the tide. Senior forward Amanda Steffey redirected the initial feed inside a pool of blue jerseys and found the back of the cage to give her team the game at Wright Stadium, 1-0.
Meyer continued. "We're excited for another chance and see what we can do against them a second time."
The Hartwick/Washington and Jefferson semifinal matchup is no stranger to the Empire 8. Dating back to the Hawks' last appearance in the post-season, Wash. and Jeff. handed them a 1-0 defeat in 2009. A season before, they too held the advantage, 2-0, and just a year after entering the league in 2007, clipped the Hawks, 1-0.
The regular-season outing between the two teams proved to be the tie-breaker as each finished 5-3 in the E8, along with no. 4 Stevens, and Ithaca. Stevens fell to the final spot, accumulating losses to each of the higher seeds. No. 1 St. John Fisher collected a perfect clip in league play, 8-0, to earn hosting rights.
"We've played with all three of the other teams to pretty tight games, losing two and winning one. To be honest, that's the beauty of post-season play, anything can happen."
Anything has happened for the Hawks.
Hartwick has been behind against four opponents this season before tallying wins. Three of those teams were Empire 8 members, including Stevens.
Meyer added. "When you come from behind, it builds confidence. If you're not used to coming from behind and then you go behind in a game, you have a tendency to maybe panic a bit.'"
Against the Ducks on their turf, the Hawks benefitted from senior forward
Emily Marcotte (Corinth, NY/Corinth) and freshman forward
Bella Wheeler's (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) second-half scoring after going down nearly 15 minutes in. The duo provided the 2-1 win that clinched Hartwick's playoff spot.
Marcotte (2) and Wheeler (2) are just two of Hartwick's 12 scorers. Spearheading the offense is senior forward
Sarah Ryan (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs), who has a team-best nine goals.
"Our scoring is pretty well spread and I like the fact that there are a lot of players who have scored multiple goals too. I'm looking for us to capitalize on our offensive opportunities and we emphasize that all the time."
Junior defender
Lex Richards (Northport, NY/Northport) (5), freshman midfielder
Maria Stalder (New Woodstock, NY/Cazenovia) (5), senior forward
Courtney Coons (Wilton, NY/South Glens Falls) (3), freshman forward
Allyson Quirk (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) (3), senior forward
Maxine Dunn (Peterborough, NH/Conval) (2), senior midfielder
Mikaelan Stuligross (Walton, NY/Walton), freshman forward/midfielder
Rebecca Bonini (Avon, CT/Avon), senior defender
Halle Mahoney (Peabody, MA/Bishop Fenwick) and freshman midfielder
Abby White (Binghamton, NY/Windsor Central) round out 'Wicks offensive output.
"It's not who scores, but who's looking to make the best decisions."
The team will also look to the decision-making of senior keeper,
Shannon Carter (Falls Church, VA/J.E.B. Stuart). She has posted three shutouts this season starting in each game she has competed in and sits fourth in the E8 with 126 saves on a .875 percentage.
The Presidents are headlined by Steffey and sophomore defender Rachel Buyan who lead the team with 12 goals apiece. Senior forward Kelly Knisel is only two goals shy of her teammates. Karlie Baran has served as the Presidents' only goalkeeper this season making 46 saves on a .763 clip.
Before 'Wick and Wash. and Jeff. battle, Fisher and Stevens will take the field at 4 p.m. The winners of each match will advance to compete Saturday in the championship round set for a 4 p.m. start time. The winner receives the Empire 8 Conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Meyer ended. "We are in it to win two games. But the thing that has gotten us to this point is taking one game at a time. Once we secured the berth after beating Stevens, we were focused on Wells but that's how we've taken every game this year. So for us, we're just playing [Wash. and Jeff.] on Friday and then we'll cross the bridge once that result is in. If we win on Friday, we will then think about the next game on Saturday."
