Women's Soccer | 11/8/2019 9:16:00 PM
ONEONTA, NY – For the second time in three seasons, the Hartwick women's soccer team is in the Empire 8 Final. In 2017, they shared the title with Stevens, but the Ducks were the ones that went to the NCAA Tournament after winning a penalty kick shootout. In 2019, the Hawks want to be the team going dancing. 'Wick (12-3-3), seeded #2 in the Empire 8 Tournament, will take on #4-seeded Utica (11-5-1) for the crown, tonight at 5 p.m. on Elmore Field.
Ticket prices for the game are $6 for adults, $4 for students (free with College ID thanks to the Student Experience), and free for children 12 and under.
Each team got to the Championship game with a 1-0 Semifinal win, but they secured those victories in very different manners. Hartwick took down #3-seeded Nazareth on Zoe Capanna's (Los Angeles, CA/Palisades Charter) first collegiate goal in the 55th minute, assisted by Tanner Reed (Unadilla, NY/Unatego Central). Capanna and Reed were dominant all day, each putting up six shots as the Hawks outchanced the Golden Flyers 18-7 on the day and 14-3 in the second half. Utica's shot count in their Semifinal at #1 St. John Fisher was nearly the opposite, as they lost that battle, 18-5 (9-4 on-goal). Goalkeeper Allison Wagner kept the Cardinals off the board, however, and Emma Workman scored straight off a free kick from about 30 yards out in the 83rd minute to send the Pioneers through.
These two teams met once this season, and Hartwick took a comfortable 2-0 victory. Courtney Velho (Derry, NH/Pinkerton Academy) scored her first of the season in the 14th minute off of a corner, and Hannah Bochniak's (Barneveld, NY/Holland Patent) first collegiate goal in the 65th minute gave the Hawks some insurance. The shot count was 17-11 overall and 7-7 on goal, although Utica's last eight shots, including five on net, came in the final 13 minutes as they desperately tried to tally. Cassandra Robataille (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) made seven saves for the shutout.
Hartwick is led by their defense, and Velho, a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, is the backbone. If anything gets behind the Hartwick back line, Robataille is there to gobble it up, to the tune of an .833 save percentage and 0.70 GAA. Offensively, Reed has led the Hawks, with six goals and three assists. Gabrielle Kreppein (Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) also has double-digit points, with 11 on four goals and three assists.
Utica's most valuable player has by far been Mikayla Blumenstock. Named the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week on November 5, Blumenstock has 22 goals and 46 points, the most in the Empire 8. Kierra Caissey has also been valuable offensively, with seven goals and an assist for 15 points. Wagner has handled most of the goalkeeping for the Pioneers, with an .875 save percentage and 0.99 GAA.
Hartwick is out for revenge, as their season ended at the hands of Utica in the 2018 Semifinal. The teams battled to a scoreless draw through two overtimes on November 2, 2018 in Hoboken, but the Pioneers advanced to the Final on penalties, 4-2. The Hawks were the best team that evening, outshooting their opponent 20-7 overall, but could not pot a goal. Velho had two chances in the extra sessions to win it, but could not quite put the ball over the line.
Live stats for the Final can be found here, and the live video stream here. The winner of tonight's game (or penalty shootout, if the teams draw), will secure the Empire 8's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
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