ONEONTA, NY – The Hartwick field hockey team grabbed a 2-0 lead just 1:51 into the game on Friday afternoon and never looked back, eventually cruising to an 8-2 win over Morrisville at Wright Stadium. Gina Cozetti (Commack, NY/Commack) registered a hat trick with her first three goals of the season as the Hawks move to 3-0 on the season, matching last year's start. The Mustangs' tough beginning to the season continued, as they fall to 0-4.
Bella Wheeler (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) opened the scoring, as a Leah Tolley (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) pass was tipped in front of the goal keeper by Wednesday's hero Sydney Gagnon (Chestertown, NY/North Warren Central) right to Wheeler, who easily sent it into the cage at 1:13. Allyson Quirk (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) made it 2-0 just 38 seconds later, rolling one by the keeper during a scramble at the net front. Morrisville kept at it, however, as a beautiful cross from Grace Hanehan ended up on the stick of Toni Baker, who roofed it for her first of the season at 5:40, making it 2-1. Gagnon and Cozetti combined to respond, as the former sent one off the post and the latter was there to put in the rebound at 9:59. After one, the Hawks had a 3-1 lead and a commanding 13-2 shot advantage.
Cozetti picked up where she left off to start the second, scoring just 1:12 in when Quirk pushed the ball to her during a scramble for an easy goal. Alexa Matarazzo's (Commack, NY/Commack) first collegiate tally came next at 22:10; Emily Schaub (Brewster, NY/Brewster) had a shot saved off of a long cross, and Matarazzo was right there to send in the rebound for a 5-1 lead. That ended the scoring for the first half, thanks in part to a defensive save by Michaela Parker (Holbrook, NY/Sachem East) at 26:47 after a shot just trickled by keeper Allyson Osborne (Nottingham, PA/Solanco). At the break, the Hawks had a comfortable 5-1 lead.
Morrisville got one back early on in the second half, when Camberly VanValkenburg got her first of the season after the ball deflected up and over Osborne and was sent into the net at 32:15. The Hawks responded with a strong offensive push, finally breaking through again at 41:19 when Cozetti picked up the hat trick on a rebound after two shots by Matarazzo. 'Wick scored again 1:01 later on Gagnon's second of the season, as she took the ball past the keeper on the rush, got her own rebound, and slid one into the other side of the cage, making it 7-2, where the score stood at the end of the period. Hartwick outshot Morrisville by an impressive 14-3 during the third.
The fourth quarter was a formality, as the shorthanded Mustangs did not pressure the Hawks too heavily. Schaub got her first of the season after Quirk played it the ball in and Schaub tipped it near the goal line, sending it up and over the goalkeeper at 49:54. Morrisville had five shots and three penalty corners over the final 10 minutes, but could not convert any of their opportunities into goals, as the game ended with the score 8-2.
Cozetti's efficient three goals on three shots led the way for the Hawks. Gagnon had a very impressive ten shots, seven of which went on net and one of which went in net. She also had a pair of assists. Quirk was second on the team with five shots, contributing a goal and two assists. Matarazzo, Schaub, and Brooke Singer (Johnson City, NY/Maine-Endwell) had four shots apiece. Osborne played the first three quarters in net, making two saves on four shots. Madison Maddocks (Garrison, NY/Walter Panas) made her collegiate debut next, working the last 15 minutes in net and going a perfect 2-for-2 on shots on goal.
Baker was the points leader for the Mustangs with a hand in each tally via a goal and an assist. Hanehan led Morrisville with five shots, two on goal, and had an assist. Heather Cummings registered four shots (two on target), while Van Valkenburg's contribution was her goal in the 33rd minute. Morgan Dueber spent 50:42 of hard-working time in net for her side, making 22 saves on 30 shots. Taylor Manwarren took over for the final 9:18, and saw no shots on cage.
Hartwick had a huge 36-14 shot advantage, including 30-7 on goal. They had a slimmer 7-5 advantage on penalty corners, but were able to limit the damage on the Mustangs' attempts.
The Hawks go back on the road for their next matchup, when they travel to Ithaca to take on the Bombers. 'Wick will be looking for their first 4-0 start since 2016, when they began 6-0 en route to an Empire 8 Tournament berth.
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