ONEONTA, NY – As has become custom between these two squads, the Hartwick and Houghton field hockey teams played a tight game on the scoreboard that saw the Hawks ultimately come out on top. Despite outshooting the Highlanders 30 to 1 throughout a scoreless regulation, Hartwick had to go to penalty strokes after two scoreless overtime periods to defeat the visitors in each team's Empire 8 Conference opener. In the shootout, the Hawks scored all three of their tries while 'Wick goalie Allyson Osborne (Nottingham, PA/Solanco) headed off three attempts for the 3-1 shootout win. With the victory, the Hawks match their best start since 2016 at 6-1 (1-0 E8), while Houghton falls to 3-5 (0-1 E8).
As the shot sheet indicates, the Hawks dominated play throughout regulation. They had several good chances in the first quarter, starting with shots from Tegan Robinson (Mechanicville, NY/Shenendehowa) and Leah Tolley (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) in quick succession in the sixth minute, which were saved and sent wide, respectively. Hartwick had three corners clsoe to each other in the ninth minute, but could not convert off any of them. Sydney Gagnon (Chestertown, NY/North Warren Central) registered the last chance of the first 15 minutes, a shot that went just wide.
Gagnon found Bella Wheeler (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) 1:42 into the second quarter on a cross, but Wheeler's ensuing shot was blocked. 'Wick earned two more corners in the 20th minute, but again did not make anything of them. The Hawks had a few more chances on scrambles in front of the net, but went into the half tied with the Highlanders at zero, despite a 14-0 shot advantage.
The Highlanders registered their first shot of the game 3:02 into the half, a harmless try by Caitlin Jennings that Osborne saved. Brooke Singer (Johnson City, NY/Maine-Endwell) had the first significant chance of the second half, when her hard shot off of a mishandled Hawks corner was saved up high by Houghton keeper Sarah Olandt in the 36th minute. Gagnon had the next shot, rolling one just wide of the left post 1:14 later. Hartwick would earn a corner with 5:03 left in the quarter, taken by Chrissy Boeltz (Greene, NY/Greene Central). After she hit it away, the ball found its way back to Boeltz for a shot that was saved. Robinson sent one towards the cage off the rebound, but that too was stopped by Olandt. Hartwick outshot the Highlanders 10 to 1 in the third.
The Hawks had a 6 to 0 shot lead in the fourth quarter, but still could not put one home. Boeltz forced a save from Olandt just under three minutes in, and 'Wick had six penalty corners in the period. 60 minutes passed with nothing past the goal line despite Hartwick's best efforts.
After the teams went down to seven players a side to begin overtime, Houghton found more of their game in the wide open field. It took until the final minute of the first 10-minute extra period for a solid scoring chance. Houghton's Hannah Daniels had three shots in six seconds off the rush with just under 60 seconds left, but Osborne stopped them all to keep the game alive. Gagnon took the ball back the other way and fired one at net, but Olandt blocked it away with seven seconds remaining, sending the game to a second overtime.
Gagnon forced a corner with just under five minutes to go in the game, and it seemed like the Hawks had won it shortly after Rebecca Peakes (West Chester, PA/Unionville) put the ball in play. Singer's hard shot found the back of the cage, but it was called off by the referee as a high shot. Jennings had the final opportunity of the game late in the 76th minute from under ten yards out, but Osborne stopped the point-blank shot.
Houghton's Grace McBride and Hartwick's Wheeler each converted in the first round of the shootout. Jennings' shot then went high, tipped by Osborne, and Gagnon gave 'Wick the upper hand with a spin and backhanded goal. After Daniels missed another one for Houghton, Singer put the pressure on by deking around Olandt and sliding one in. Osborne held off Leanne Plunkett to the side of the net on the Highlanders' next attempt, giving Hartwick a 3-1 win in the shootout and a win in their conference opener.
Gagnon was a force throughout the entire game, taking nearly a third of Hartwick's shots at 11 (five on net), establishing a new career high. Robinson was next on the shot list, with five, Singer had four, and Katie Meuse (Londonderry, NH/Londonderry), Allyson Quirk (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow), and Tolley had three apiece. Osborne secured her third consecutive shutout, making seven saves, including a few game-savers in overtime.
Daniels and Jennings accounted for all of Houghton's shots. Daniels had five, four of which were on target, leaving Jennings to take four, three on net. Olandt was a brick wall in cage, making 17 saves for the shutout.
Hartwick had a dominant 34-9 lead in shots (17-7 on goal), although the Highlanders outshot the Hawks 8-4 through the two overtime periods. 'Wick also predictably dominated the penalty corner count, at 20-4, but again the margin was significantly closer in overtime, tied at four apiece.
The Hawks return to play on Wednesday, September 25 at 4 p.m. for a very tough test, taking on top-ten ranked Vassar on the Wright Stadium turf. A victory would give 'Wick their best start since 2004, when they went 16-3 and won the Empire 8.
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