Women's Soccer | 10/12/2019 6:54:00 PM
ONEONTA, NY – As has happened a few times already this season for the Hartwick women's soccer team, ranked ninth in the East Region by United Soccer Coaches, they thoroughly outshot their opponent all day before escaping with a 1-0 win. This time the victim was Elmira, who the Hawks flung 34 shots at compared to just two for the Soaring Eagles. Gabrielle Kreppein's (Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) goal in the 63rd minute, her third of the year and assisted by Shannon Lauko (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker), was the lone score of the day.
The win pushes the Hawks to 8-3-1, their best record through 12 games since 2015, when they began 8-2-2. They remain tied for first in the Empire 8 with Nazareth, each team possessing a 3-0-1 conference record. The two teams will clash a week from today at Hartwick in what could decide the regular season Empire 8 title. Elmira drops to 2-9 and 0-4 in conference.
The Hawks got after it early, as Kreppein took a nice ball from Tanner Reed (Unadilla, NY/Unatego Central) and forced a save from a sharp angle just 20 seconds in. Reed had the next significant chance in the 16th minute when she fought off a defender and fired one from 12 yards out, but it went high.
'Wick very nearly converted in the 24th minute with two gorgeous chances in quick succession. Katie Ziniti (Chester, NH/Pinkerton Academy) sent one off the crossbar from the right side of the penalty area, about 14 yards out, and Kreppein was in perfect possession for the rebound a few yards to the left and in from the penalty mark, but shot it high. Elmira almost gave Hartwick the lead in the 28th minute when they cleared a cross from the left side of the penalty box a foot wide of the net. The Hawks' final chance of the first half was on a corner in the final minute. Dana Caputo (Commack, NY/Commack) hit an excellent ball that traveled into and through the corridor of uncertainty, as no 'Wick player was able to tap it in.
Kreppein had another chance to give Hartwick the lead on the first shot of the second half, taking a pass in the penalty area and shooting it high from a couple yards outside the goal area. Julia Collado (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon) nearly grabbed the lead in the 56th minute when she pounced on one around the border of the goal area, but the referee ruled that goalkeeper Ally Knorr-Anderson had possession and blew the play dead. 'Wick went on a bit of an offside binge for a bit (correctly-called or not), as they were whistled for five in an eight-minute span from the 53rd through 61st minute. The last of the whistles stopped an excellent opportunity for Kreppein, who was all alone behind the Elmira back line after a pass by Reed.
Kreppein finally got her goal in the 63rd minute. The Hawks gained possession about even with the center circle and started towards the net. Their initial try stalled out, but Lauko tapped one a few yards back to Kreppein, who one-timed it past the keeper to the far right post for the score. The assist was Lauko's first career point, coming in the midst of a solid season. Kreppein almost got another in the 76th minute. She broke down the Elmira defense with a filthy move, and then launched one that hit the right post and was cleared out of harm's way by a Soaring Eagle back. The Hawks' final significant chance for an insurance tally came a few minutes later in the 79th minute, when a Ziniti cross ended up at the feet of Reed, but her shot was blocked out for a corner. Elmira never seriously threatened for a goal the whole day, as the home side came out with the clean sheet victory.
Kreppein was noticeable the entire day aside from the goal, putting up 10 shots and five on target, both of which are her career high as well as the team's season high for an individual. Reed put up five shots, while Ziniti set the high of her young career with four shot attempts. Cassandra Robataille (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) was the beneficiary of a superb defensive effort by her team, as she had to make just two easy saves for her seventh shutout of the year.
Taylor Hanson and Hailey Boris each had one shot on goal for Elmira, which was the extent of their offensive efforts. Knorr-Anderson had a nice day in net, making nine saves on ten chances over the ninety minutes.
Hartwick set their season high with 34 shots, 10 of which went on target, compared to Elmira's two of each. The Hawks also did not concede any corners, leading 9-0 in that category.
The Hawks return to action for their annual derby this Tuesday, hosting Oneonta on Elmore Field at 7 p.m.