NORTH ADAMS, MA – Nicole Chisdak's (Vestal, NY/Vestal) first collegiate goal in the first half held up to become the winner in a rainy Tuesday night non-conference game, as the Hartwick women's soccer team downed the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Trailblazers on the road, 3-0. The win moves the Hawks, ranked #10 in the East Region by United Soccer Coaches, to 10-3-2. A tough season for MCLA continues, as they drop to 2-12-1.
Hartwick wasted no time coming at their hosts, as Gabrielle Kreppein (Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) put the first shot of the game off the crossbar in the third minute, shortly after a Dana Caputo (Commack, NY/Commack) corner. The Hawks took three more shots over the next 10-plus minutes before they hit iron again; this time, it was Shannon Lauko (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) who rang one off the post. 'Wick would break the ice in the 22nd minute on Chisdak's tally. Kreppein took a pass on the right wing from Courtney Velho (Derry, NH/Pinkerton Academy) forward, then passed it to Tanner Reed (Unadilla, NY/Unatego Central), who was on the move on the right side of the 18-yard box. Reed continued in towards the net and found Chisdak, who was all alone for the conversion near the top of the goal area. 'Wick continued to dominate the rest of the half, earning four shots and four corners, but settled for a 1-0 halftime lead.
The second half began just as the first ended, with a plethora of Hartwick offensive chances. They had four shots and three corners leading up to their second tally of the day in the 57th minute. After the Trailblazers cleared out a corner, Gina Fahrenholz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains Fanwood) played a beautiful ball over the MCLA defense that Velho plucked out of midair. She had her first attempt stifled but sent the next one rolling into the bottom left corner at 56:40 for her second of the year.
It took just under six more minutes for the Hawks to essentially put the game away with their third of the wet evening. Kreppein received a ball a few yards wide of the goal on the right side of the penalty area, then sent it over to Julia Collado (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon) a couple steps to the right of the penalty spot. Collado popped it left-footed over the keeper at 62:12 for her third of the season. Hartwick had a few more nice chances over the remainder of the game, including a shot from Jacqueline Smith (Monroe, NY/Monroe Woodbury) that was just wide and another try from Lauko that hit metal, this time off the crossbar.
Kreppein had four shots to go with her two assists, leading all players. Four Hawks were tied for second in the game with three shots: Lauko, Velho, Katie Ziniti (Chester, NH/Pinkerton Academy), and Chrissy Picard (Portland, CT/Portland). Cassandra Robataille (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam), hours after being named the Women's Division III Player of the Week by United Soccer Coaches, was unchallenged on the evening, as she did not need to make any saves during her career-high tenth shutout of the year. She now has four-consecutive clean sheets, and a shutout streak of 362:32.
Cetera Moore had the lone MCLA shot of the evening late in the second half. Megan Richardson played all 90 minutes in net, making eight saves on 11 tries.
Hartwick completely handled the Trailblazers all game, outshooting them 29 to 1, as well as 12 to 0 on goal. They also had a huge advantage in corner kicks, at 13-0.
The Hawks have two regular season games remaining, both within the Empire 8. The first comes on Saturday, October 26 on the road at Alfred at 7:30 p.m. 'Wick would clinch an Empire 8 Tournament spot with a win.
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