PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLA. – The Hartwick Women's Lacrosse team opened its spring break trip with a non-conference matchup against Keene State, falling 9-7 to the Owls in the Spring Fling Tournament on Tuesday afternoon.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Keene State 9 Hartwick 7
Location: Panama City Beach, Fla. | Publix Sports Park
Records: Keene State (2-5, 1-0 Little East) • Hartwick (1-5, 0-1 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Hartwick made the trip south for its first-ever meeting with Keene State, looking to open tournament play on a strong note.
Jammie Decker (Penn Yan, N.Y.) controlled the opening draw, but the Hawks turned the ball over on their first possession. After a scoreless first nine minutes, the Owls broke through at the 6:01 mark. Decker responded with an unassisted goal at 4:24 to even the score, but Keene State added a late tally at 2:42 to take a 2-1 lead after one. Hartwick held a 6-5 edge in shots and went a perfect 6-for-6 on clears in the opening quarter.
The Hawks tied the game early in the second as Parker Laurin (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) fired home a goal at 11:03. Keene State answered with a 3-0 run to take a 5-2 lead before Laurin struck again, finishing a feed from Adelyn Esce (Cicero, NY). The Owls added one more goal late in the half to carry a 6-3 advantage into the break.
Defense took over in the third quarter, with just two goals scored. Keene State extended its lead to 7-3 early, but Laurin completed her hat trick late in the frame to keep Hartwick within reach.
The Hawks made a strong push in the fourth quarter. Esce found the back of the net just 19 seconds in to cut the deficit to two. After Keene State answered with two goals, Hartwick responded late as Shea Holloway (Fort Johnson, NY) scored with 2:41 remaining, followed by Decker's second goal off an assist from Jackie Owens (Poughquag, NY).
Hartwick continued to apply pressure down the stretch, outshooting Keene State 12-5 in the final quarter, but could not complete the comeback.
Despite the late surge, a nine-turnover margin proved costly as the Hawks fell 9-7.
UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will wrap up the Spring Fling tournament, facing off against SUNY Cortland on March 19th at 2PM.
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.
