Box Score NEWBURGH, N.Y. - Although it held a 15-10 advantage in shots, the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team was unable to parlay its offensive leverage into many quality scoring chances in a 3-1 SUNYAC setback at the hands of New Paltz at Mount Saint Mary College on Friday (Oct. 5).
 
The Cardinals fall to 5-7-0 and 1-3-0 in league play while the Hawks continue their hot start, improving to 9-2-1 and 3-1-1 in SUNYAC contests.
 
Due to poor field conditions at the New Paltz facility, the Cardinals had the opportunity to keep playing on artificial turf – albeit at a neutral location. Intent on exercising a fiercer brand of offense in their first SUNYAC match of 2012 away from the Field House Complex, the Cardinals wasted no time in making life difficult for New Paltz keeper Stephanie Vega. Renee Egan did the most damage in the early going, taking three out of the nine shots and producing the only two attempts on goal for the Cardinals in the first 45 minutes.
 
Making the most out of their limited opportunities, the Hawks struck first when Samantha Abravanel capitalized off of a corner kick in the 15^th minute. Her shot to the top left corner beat Plattsburgh State keeper Danielle Schmitt, who had a difficult time finding her rhythm early on.
 
Emily Rokitowski made it 2-0 in favor of New Paltz less than eight minutes later by just being in the right place at the right time. An initial shot from just outside the box was redirected into the right side of the Cardinals’ net giving the Hawks as many goals as shots up to that point.
 
After coming up empty in the first 45 minutes of play, the Cardinals had no plans to duplicate their performance in the second frame. Cammie Keyser cut the Plattsburgh State deficit in half in the 51^st minute as the freshman corralled a ball from three yards out and fired in her second goal of the season. Ashley Pagano picked up her second helper of the season on the score.
 
Keeping the pressure on the Hawks, Pagano fired a shot of her own on net at the 53-minute mark before senior striker Kristie Pageau kept the pressure on Vega just one minute later with a strong attempt from the left wing that was turned aside.
 
On the heels of the quick flurry of shots by the Cardinals, New Paltz buckled down defensively for the rest of the contest. The Hawks allowed just three more shots by Plattsburgh State through the final 35 minutes of the game – none of which were on target.
 
The Hawks tacked on their final goal of the contest in the 85^th minute when Shelby Kondelka took a pass from the left wing and sent it across the front of the net to beat Schmitt.
 
Egan and Keyser had three shots each for the Cardinals who sent just five balls on net out of 15 total shots in the game. The Hawks recorded a shutout in the corner kick department, registering seven compared to none by the Cardinals. Schmitt recorded a pair of saves on five shots faced while Vega turned away four of the five attempts sent at her.
 
Still looking to get back in the SUNYAC win column, the Cardinals will take part in their first true league road game of 2012 when they head to Oneonta State on Saturday (Oct. 6) to take on the Red Dragons. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.