ONEONTA, NY – Entering today's non-conference matchup against the Morrisville Mustangs, the Hartwick field hockey team looked to protect their perfect mark on the season. With a score deadlocked at 1-1 and just seconds remaining in regulation, the Hawks were awarded a penalty stroke to avoid overtime. Lex Richards (Northport, NY/Northport) took the stroke and with just four and a half seconds left, the junior netted the game-winning goal and extended Hartwick's undefeated clip to 5-0 after the 2-1 victory over the Mustangs. Morrisville, after tying things up in the 61^st minute, fell to 1-4 on the season.  

At the end of the first half, neither team was able to get on the board. Hartwick got off to the races first registering two shots with under two minutes elapsed. Senior Maxine Dunn (Peterborough, NH/Conval) left her first attempt wide at 1:46 and classmate Sarah Ryan (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) saw hers denied by Morrisville's Meredith Koziol in goal 10 seconds after.

Morrisville got off a shot in the early going to the credit of Meghan Holcomb but it was saved by senior goalkeeper Shannon Carter (Falls Church, VA/J.E.B. Stuart). Morrisville would not commit another shot until the closing minutes of the first stanza. Carter saved three of the Mustangs' four first-half shots.

Hartwick earned eight penalty corners in contrast to their opponent's two in the first 35 minutes but would receive eight more in just the next 13 minutes of play. At 48:55, a penalty corner was taken by Mikaelan Stuligross (Walton, NY/Walton) and despite the scrum at the goal, she was able to get it back. Stuligross got the ball into the possession of Ryan, who would then send it home to give the Hawks the first goal of the game.

In the 61^st minute, Morrisville's Alisha Whitmer combatted the traffic in front of the Hartwick net and connected with Giovanna Lisi, who beat Carter to even the game at 1-1.

Hartwick earned three more penalty corners in the second half, the last resulting in the final scoring play to give them the advantage needed to seal the victory.

In addition to the goal, Richards finished with four shots and Ryan ended with three. Maria Stalder (New Woodstock, NY/Cazenovia), Quirk, and Dunn each added two shots.

Carter ended the match with three saves. In goal for Morrisville, Koziol grabbed four saves in the first half and goalkeeper Elizabeth Leva saved one in the second.

Ryan leads the team in goals with four and in points with nine for the season. Courtney Coons (Wilton, NY/South Glens Falls), Dunn and Richards each have accumulated four points to benefit the Hawks.

Field hockey will return to Wright Stadium this Saturday, September 17^th in another non-conference match. The action starts at 11 a.m.