SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior
Rachel Ostiguy tipped home the lone goal of the game with 11:32 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Union College field hockey team picked up a well-earned 1-0 victory over SUNY New Paltz in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
Union (5-3) controlled play from the outset and rarely let the ball inside its own penalty arc over the final three quarters, finishing the afternoon with a 16-1 edge in shots and taking 14 penalty corners to New Paltz's three.
The Garnet Chargers had huge edges in possessions and chances in the opening half, but despite a 10-1 advantage in shots the teams went into the half scoreless. Union had five corners in the half and thought it had a goal midway through the second stanza when senior
Maddie Greco deflected home a pass by junior
Rowan Dapson, but the Hawks challenged the play and the goal was taken off the board.
Senior
Marion Stuntz made one save in the opening minutes of the half but came up big on several other occasions as well, including a hard-charging dive to stack the pads and deny a goal-scoring opportunity with under two minutes left in the second. The visitors' only shot and only three corners of the game came in the first quarter.
Union continued to amass chances in the third quarter, but managed only two shots on goal that were stopped by goalie Grace Grant. The Garnet Chargers finally broke through on their fourth corner of the fourth quarter and 13th of the game, when Ostiguy tipped home a rocket by Dapson to get the home team on the board.
The home team kept New Paltz without a shot for the final 54:24 of the contest and without a corner opportunity for the entirety of the final three quarters. Stuntz made one save to earn the win, while Grant made 10 stops to keep the game close for the visitors.
Union will continue a busy week on Friday, when the Garnet Chargers make the short trip north to Saratoga Springs to take on Skidmore College in a 4 p.m. matchup.
