ONEONTA, NY – In a midweek nonconference clash at Wright Stadium, history would be made as the Hartwick field hockey team endured their first shootout in program history. After alternating goals in regulation, 2-2, going scoreless through two overtime periods and a five-round shootout, the two teams headed for a sudden-death round where Hartwick would finally prevail, 9-8, to advance to 7-2 on the season. The visiting Brewers drop to 6-3.
 
Two goals from Vassar's Dara Studnitzer and a tally each from Gina Cozetti (Commack, NY/Commack) and Marissa Downes (Boiceville, NY/Onteora) of the Hawks' lineup would produce the 2-2 stalemate at the conclusion of regulation.
Studnitzer capped off a play created by Storm Sideleau just over a minute into the contest to give the Brewers the quick advantage.
 
The Hawks would play from behind for most of the first half until they tied it up late in the 30th minute. Tegan Robinson (Mechanicville, NY/Shenendehowa) would help on the answer as Cozetti caught her pass, emerged from a crowd, and rolled the ball through with just enough effort to cut through the defense and knot the score at one apiece.
 
Studnitzer tallied again to put the visitors up about four minutes following the intermission as she scored off her own rebound and tipped it in at the 39:16 mark.
 
However, Downes would even the score and eventually force extra time on her goal from Brooke Singer (Johnson City, NY/Maine Endwell) at 44:58.
 
Hawks' keeper Allyson Osborne (Nottingham, PA/Solanco) came up big in each overtime session disallowing four of the Brewers' five tries in the first and three of Vassar's five attempts in the second.
 
In the initial five penalty strokes taken by each team, both squads successfully netted four but each added an unlucky shot to bring the contest to a sudden death period.
 
Between the two clubs to start the additional period, 10 makes were totaled before Vassar's Alyssa More was credited with the first miss. Maria Stalder (New Woodstock, NY/Cazenovia) saw her next attempt off the mark but Sideleau's miss on the ensuing attempt gave Hartwick another attempt to end it. As the next Hawk up, Bella Wheeler (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) approached the cage with craft attracting the keeper, Liz Rotolo, out of her territory and she was able to work around her and roll her shot in for the riveting victory.
 
The Hawks remain at Wright Stadium and jump back into league play when they host Houghton, Saturday, September 30 at 1 p.m.