ROCHESTER, NY – After a six-year hiatus from the postseason from 2010-2015, Hartwick field hockey has hit their stride, as they have now won 10 or more games for four straight years and made the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. This year, at 11-6 overall and 5-2 in the Empire 8, the Hawks have claimed the third seed in the conference tournament. They will take on second-seeded Utica (8-10, 6-1 E8) on Friday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. in top-seeded St. John Fisher's Growney Stadium.
The Hawks raced out of the gate, collecting six wins in their first seven games. This stretch included a 2-1 win over RPI in their season opener, a 3-2 win over city rival Oneonta thanks to Sydney Gagnon's (Chestertown, NY/North Warren Central) late goal, and a 1-0, shootout win in their Empire 8 opener against Houghton in a game they outshot the Highlanders 30-1. Hartwick stumbled after that, losing their next three games to strong competition. They began with a narrow 1-0 loss to #6 Vassar and then fell 3-1 to both Union and St. John Fisher. After wins in their next three conference games to bring them to the brink of clinching a playoff berth, they dropped a 2-1 decision to Utica on Senior Day, keeping some uncertainty in their postseason plans. Hartwick's final game of the season was on the road at Washington & Jefferson, a team and location that has not been friendly to them in the past. They put those memories out of mind, however, securing a 2-0 win on the season's final day to clinch a postseason spot and knock the Presidents out of the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Hartwick has been anchored by their strong defense, having allowed just 21 goals in 17 games this year as well as seven in seven conference games. The latter mark is second in the Empire 8, just behind St. John Fisher's six goals allowed and just ahead of Utica's eight. Senior defenders Maggie Stauble (Kingston, NY/Kingston) and Rebecca Bonini (Avon, CT/Avon) have been the backbone of the Hawks' defensive effort, having each started all 17 games. Behind them has been junior goalkeeper Allyson Osborne (Nottingham, PA/Nottingham), who has been a brick wall in net all season. Twice named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week (DPOW) as well as the National Field Hockey Coaches Association DPOW on September 25th, Osborne has allowed more than two goals just once in 17 games this season. She has five shutouts, a goals allowed average (GAA) of 1.20, and a save percentage of .844. In conference games, she leads in save percentage, at .870, is tied for first with three clean sheets, and is second only to St. John Fisher's Kelly Bergamo (0.89) with a 0.96 GAA.
The Hartwick offense has been led by Rookie of the Year candidate Gagnon who has 13 goals and 30 points in her first year, both tops on the team. She scored six goals in conference games, second overall behind St. John Fisher standout Bre Socker's 14. As a team, the Hawks potted 12 Empire 8 goals, tied for third with Nazareth (behind Fisher's 34 and Utica's 17). Brooke Singer (Johnson City, NY/Maine-Endwell) has had an excellent year at midfielder, as she has career highs in goals and points, with seven and 16, respectively. Both marks are second among all Hawks. Other impressive Hawks on the offensive end include Allyson Quirk (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow), with five goals and four assists, both tying career bests, and Katie Meuse (Londonderry, NH/Londonderry), with three goals and a career-high seven assists, the most on the team. Meuse has four assists in Empire 8 games, third in the conference.
Unlike their Semifinal opponent, Utica struggled out of the gate, losing their first five games to mostly quality competition. The stretch included losses on the season's first weekend to New Paltz (4-1) and SUNY Oneonta (4-3), a one-goal loss to Ithaca (2-1) and an overtime loss at Brockport (2-1). They started their rebound just in the nick of time, taking down defending Empire 8 Champion Washington & Jefferson 3-0 in their first conference game. After losing their next E8 game to eventual one-seed St. John Fisher, 3-0, they wouldn't lose a conference contest for the rest of the year. They beat Nazareth in overtime, 3-2, took down Elmira in a shootout, 2-1, and clinched a playoff spot and the second seed by beating Hartwick on the road with a fourth quarter goal from Madeline Krecidlo on October 26. They rounded out their conference schedule last Saturday with a 4-1 victory over Houghton.
As a team, Utica has similar defensive bonafides to Hartwick, as they gave up eight goals in seven conference games, third in the Empire 8. Their back line is led by Ricki Haab, Makenzie Stevens, and Katherine LeRoy; all three have started every one of the Pioneers' 18 games. Megan Chamberlain has handled the goaltending duties for Utica, playing all 1,120:34 her squad has provided for her. In conference, she has a 1.08 GAA, .742 save percentage, and two shutouts (tied for third overall).
Sabrina Whitehouse and Sydney Scaccia have led the way on offensive for Utica. Whitehouse has seven goals, second on the team to Scaccia's nine, and nine assists, which leads the Pioneers. Whitehouse is also tops on her team with 23 points, one ahead of Scaccia's 22. In conference, Whitehouse is tied for third with five goals and second with five assists; Scaccia has three Empire 8 assists, tied for fourth in league play. Other offensive contributors for Utica include Madeline Krecidlo, with six goals (three in conference) and one assist, and Haab, who has ten points on three goals and four assists.
The Hawks will be out for revenge on Friday. Utica spoiled Hartwick's Senior Day a little under two weeks ago, beating 'Wick 2-1 and grabbing the second seed to boot. Osborne was strong as Utica came out dominant, but Whitehouse poked a ball by her in the tenth minute to open the scoring. Hartwick turned the tide in the second quarter, and finally tied the game up in the final minute of the half. Rebecca Peakes (Mechanicville, NY/Shenendehowa) took a corner and sent it towards the top of the circle. Gagnon ended up poking it over a few feet to Singer, who rifled one into the back of the cage at 29:21 to tie the score at one. The game stayed there all the way through the third, but the Pioneers scored the eventual winner in the 51st minute. Off a corner, Whitehouse hit the ball into a jumble of players near the front of the cage, and the ball came to Krecidlo for the tap-in at the right post. The Hawks had a chance to tie a couple minutes later, but both of their shots were stopped by Chamberlain.
After a six-year drought, the Hawks are back in the Empire 8 Tournament for the third time in four years. They lost in the Semifinals both times, however, falling to Washington & Jefferson 4-0 in 2016 and 1-0 in 2018. Hartwick last won the conference title in 2005, when they capped off a run of three championships in four years under legendary coach Anna Meyer. In her second season, Erin Autera hopes to lead the Hawks back to glory.
Utica shared the conference title with Ithaca in 2006, one season before the Empire 8 instituted a postseason tournament to determine a champion. They missed the playoffs the next three years, and then fell to Washington & Jefferson in both 2010 and 2011. They finally broke through in 2012, defeating Stevens in the Championship game, and followed that up with wins over St. John Fisher in 2013 and 2014 for the three-peat. The Pioneers have made the playoffs just once in the three seasons preceding this one, however, as they defeated St. John Fisher in the 2017 Semifinals before falling to Washington & Jefferson, 3-1, in the Final.
#3 Hartwick and #2 Utica start their battle on Friday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. in St. John Fisher's Growney Stadium. The top-seeded Cardinals will play after the conclusion of that game, taking on #4 Nazareth at 5 p.m. The winners meet again the next day in the Final, also held in Growney Stadium.
Live stats for all tournament games can be found here, and the live video stream can be found here. Tickets cost $6 for adults, $4 for students and seniors with ID, and are free for children under 12.
Make sure to catch the latest news on all your favorite Hartwick Hawks teams by following @HawkTalk on Twitter, @hartwickhawks on Instagram, and by liking 'Hartwick Hawks' on Facebook.
