ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick's women's lacrosse team scored the final two goals of the first half to break a 3-3 tie and they would lead the rest of the way in a 9-7 win over visiting SUNY Potsdam at Wright Stadium Friday in the season opener for both squads. The Hawks led by as many as four in the second half before the Bears tacked on two late tallies to inch closer.
           
Sophomore Rachel Hedden (Burlington, CT/Central Conn. St.), playing in her first game as a Hawk, paced her team with three goals. Senior Emma Knapp (Canandaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) and sophomore GinaMarie Wilson (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) each added a pair of goals. The victory was also the first in the head coaching career of interim head coach Marissa Mongillo.
           
Contributing to the offense was sophomore Amy Tracy (Smithtown, NY/Florida Southern College), who scored a goal and dished out two assists in her first game in a 'Wick uniform. Senior Hailey Pooler (Adams Center, NY/South Jefferson) chipped in one goal and one helper.
           
The Hawks would spot the Bears a two-goal lead to start the game as Ashley Burrowes and Meaghan Paige tallied four minutes apart. Hedden got Hartwick on the scoreboard with Pooler contributing the feed to cut the Bear lead in half, 2-1, at 18:29.
           
Tracy would set up Knapp for her first goal of the day nearly eight minutes later to tie it and Pooler handed the Hawks their first lead after just 35 more seconds. Potsdam answered as Cayla O'Connor scored 18 seconds after Pooler to knot the score at three. Knapp put 'Wick up to stay as she followed up her own rebound at 4:28. Wilson gave the Hawks some breathing room with 46 seconds remaining and they entered halftime up 5-3.
           
The two teams traded goals in the first 3:49 of the second half. Tracy netted the Hawks' goal and O'Connor found the net for the second time for the Bears. Two Hedden tallies 41 seconds apart gave 'Wick its biggest lead, 8-4, at the 21:17 mark. Emily Schaub (Brewster, NY/Brewster) earned the assist on the second score.
           
The Bears closed the gap to three on a Burrowes goal at 18:50 and the game remained a three-goal affair for the next 13 minutes. Wilson put the game away from Tracy as Hartwick led by four goals with only six minutes on the clock. Meaghan Paige and Alexa Ferrer scored with under two minutes to go for the visitors but it was too little, too late.
           
Hartwick held a 21-17 edge in shots in the contest. The Hawks had slight edges in both ground balls (22-20) and draws (9-8).
           
Goalkeeper Ashley Jablonowski (Levittown, NY/Island Trees) finished the day with six saves for the Hawks. She also tied for a game-high with four ground balls. Knapp, Minnie Schupp (Menands, NY/Shaker), and Kayla Tracey (Bradonia, NY/Clarkstown South) each had three ground balls. Tracey also forced a game-high four Bear turnovers. Pooler added three caused turnovers for the Hawks. Knapp led her team in draw controls with four.
           
O'Connor had a game-high six draws and she tied for a game-best with four ground balls for Potsdam. Goalie Katie Longamore made nine stops in cage.
           
Hartwick is back in action tomorrow with a road game at St. Joseph's College-LI. Game time is 1 p.m.