ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Hartwick Women's Lacrosse team dropped its 2026 home opener on Saturday afternoon, falling to Kean by a 15-5 final at Wright Stadium.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Kean 15 Hartwick 5
Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Wright Stadium
Records: Kean (1-1, 0-0 NJAC) • Hartwick (1-1, 0-0 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hawks entered their home debut looking to build off a commanding 21-9 season-opening win at Manhattanville, squaring off against Kean in just the second meeting in program history. Hartwick claimed last year's inaugural matchup, 11-9, at Wright Stadium.
After five scoreless minutes to open the contest, Kean broke through with two goals in a 30-second span to seize early momentum. The Cougars added another before Adelyn Esce (Cicero, NY) netted her first collegiate goal at the 3:58 mark of the first quarter to get the Blue and White on the board.
Kean answered with its fourth tally of the frame, but Abby Skurka (Cumberland, RI) responded off a feed from Lily Dempsey (Glenville, N.Y.) to cut the deficit to two. The visitors closed the quarter with a late score to take a 5-2 advantage into the second.
The second quarter featured a defensive battle, with both teams trading possession for much of the frame. Kean capitalized on a woman-up opportunity for its lone goal of the quarter before Maura Donoghue (Paramus, N.J.) found the back of the net late in the half, assisted by Ashley Ament (Sayreville, N.J.), sending Hartwick into the break trailing by three.
The Cougars took control in the third quarter, erupting for seven unanswered goals while holding the Hawks scoreless to build a commanding lead.
Hartwick showed fight in the final frame as senior captain Jammie Decker (Penn Yan, N.Y.) opened the quarter with her first goal of the day, assisted by Donoghue. Kean responded with back-to-back goals, including a free-position strike, to put the game out of reach. Dempsey added the final tally for the Hawks with 1:45 remaining as Hartwick suffered its first loss of the season.
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UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will prepare for the Battle of the Hills, taking on the Red Dragons at SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, March 4th at 3PM.
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About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
