ONEONTA, NY – A pair of Allyson Quirk (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) highlight goals led the way for the Hartwick field hockey team on Wednesday at Wright Stadium, as they cruised by Oswego State, 6-0. The win pushes the Hawks to 5-1, matching their record through six games last season, while the Lakers fall to 2-3.
The two teams were scoreless through the first quarter. Katie Meuse (Londonderry, NH/Londonderry) and Sydney Gagnon (Chestertown, NY/North Warren Central) had shots in quick succession in the first minute of the game, but both attempts were blocked. Gagnon had another chance just over six minutes in, but Oswego goalkeeper Erica Scheblein made a nice save. The Lakers registered their first chance of the game with just over three minutes to go in the quarter, when an Alyssa DeMichael try was blocked.
Bella Wheeler (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) broke through first, putting in the rebound of a Quirk shot while fighting off a defender in the 19th minute. Exactly three minutes later at 21:24, Gagnon scored for the fourth time in five games. Maggie Stauble (Kingston, NY/Kingston) hit a long ball from well outside the top of the circle to the right of the goal which eventually found its way past a few Hawks and Lakers and to the stick of Gagnon, who sent it home. Tegan Robinson (Mechanicville, NY/Shenendehowa) put one wide of the cage off a Rebecca Peakes (West Chester, PA/Unionville) corner later on in the period, but that was all, as the Hawks led 2-0 at the half.
Hartwick had the first opportunity of the third quarter, and they made it count. After a foul, Brooke Singer (Johnson City, NY/Maine-Endwell) made a long pass off a free hit to Quirk. The senior forward smoothly corralled it and spun around the Oswego defender, then sent it past Scheblein at 35:44 for a 3-0 lead. 'Wick maintained control of play even with a three-goal lead. They had three shots in five seconds after a Peakes corner at 41:17, but Scheblein stopped all three tries from Gagnon, Kate LaPorta (Schenectady, NY/Niskayuna), and Singer, respectively. Wheeler had another excellent chance just over 30 seconds later at 41:59 that was only kept out of the net by a Kaitlyn Mastracco defensive save. Singer finally potted the Hawks' fourth at 42:41, doing what she did three times last time out against Brockport and rocketing a pass off a corner into the net, assisted by Peakes. After three, 'Wick led 4-0.
Hartwick picked right back up early in the fourth on Quirk's second of the game, which was a great all-around play. Gagnon swiped the ball from a Laker deep in the offensive zone and drove to the net, where she crossed it to Quirk who reached and backhanded one just between the keeper and the post at 47:58, giving the Hawks a 5-0 lead. Oswego had a run of sustained play around the Hartwick cage midway through the period, including three corners and three shots, but could not get one past Hartwick goalie Allyson Osborne (Nottingham, PA/Solanco). Quirk just missed her first career hat trick with 2:40 to go, sending one wide, although Emily Schaub (Brewster, NY/Brewster) later got the final goal of the game with 1:34 left, taking an Abby White (Binghamton, NY/Windsor Central) pass and shooting it just over the goal line.
Quirk led the Hawks in shots during her first career multi-goal game, aiming seven at the net and getting five there. Gagnon had her fourth game with five shots or more, putting two on target on her one-goal, one-assist day. Meuse, Singer, and Wheeler were the other Hartwick players with multiple shots, all with three apiece. Osborne secured her second straight shutout, making five saves.
A trio of Lakers had two shots: DeMichael, Jenna Rogers, and Kacie Simzer. Scheblein played all 60 minutes in net, making ten saves on sixteen shots.
Hartwick had a large 25-9 advantage in shots, including a 17-5 lead in shots on goal. They had a narrower 6-4 advantage on corners earned, but took more advantage of those opportunities.
The Hawks play again this True Blue weekend, when they open up their Empire 8 schedule by hosting Houghton at 11 a.m. A win would match the program's best start since 2016.
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