Mustangs Fall 2-1 on Late Goal at Hartwick

Mustangs Fall 2-1 on Late Goal at Hartwick

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – After picking up their first win of 2016, the Mustang Field Hockey team traveled to Hartwick College on Tuesday afternoon for a non-conference matchup.  Despite coming back to tie the game 1-1 with 9 minutes left to play, a Hartwick Penalty stroke goal with four seconds remaining put Morrisville away 2-1. 

The visiting Mustangs played the undefeated hosts to a 0-0 tie throughout the first half of play.  Freshman Meredith Koziol (Waterford, N.Y.) turned away four shots in the half, while Morrisville's defense weathered eight Hartwick penalty corners and came away unscathed. 

The Mustangs had chances themselves, earning two penalty corners.  However, Meghan Holcomb (Hamilton, N.Y.), Emily Hunt (Harpursville, N.Y.) and Lauren Kellum (Morrisville, N.Y.) were unable to convert on each of their shot attempts. 

Morrisville continued to hold their opponent scoreless for the first fifteen minutes of the first half.  However, Hartwick converted on one of their 20 penalty corner attempts to put them ahead of the Mustangs 1-0. 

With nine minutes left in the second half, Alisha Wittmer (Auburn, N.Y.) drove into the circle and through a host of Hawks defenders until she could locate Giovanna Lisi (Marathon, N.Y.) on her left.  Wittmer put the pass right on Lisi's stick, and with a quick shot she found the left corner of the cage to knot the game up at one goal apiece. 

The game looked as if it was headed into overtime, but Hartwick made one last push against the Morrisville defense with five seconds remaining in regulation.  The Hawks' Lex Richards pushed a shot left of the cage and the Mustangs' goalie Liz Leva (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), who entered the game at the start of the second half in relief of Koziol, dove right for the save.  Fortunately for the Mustangs, the goal hit the post.  Unfortunately, the ball slid under the pads of Leva, and a penalty stroke was called. 

Richards took the stroke and just beat Leva for the game winning goal.

After the tough loss, the Mustangs will look to re-group as they head into conference play.  Morrisville will travel to New Paltz on Friday for their first State Universities of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) contest.  Game time is set for 4:00 PM. 

Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs. 

The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2016 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.

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