Box Score

ONEONTA, NY (September 1, 2010) – A year ago, the Vassar College field hockey team allowed three unanswered goals in a 5-2 loss against Hartwick College. On Wednesday evening, in the season opener for both teams, the Brewers displayed an improved, aggressive team, despite losing to the Hawks, 1-0 in overtime. 

After playing an even game for 70 minutes, Hartwick scored the game winner 2:47 into overtime when Amanda Barton slid a rebound shot past Vassar senior goalie Rachel Horwitz, who made six saves in the game. Hartwick's initial shot against Horwitz came off the stick of Angela Eberly. 

Eberly started the game-winning play on a penalty corner sending the ball to Barton at the edge of the circle on the near side of the goal. Barton unleashed a hard shot that popped into the air following a deflection and the ball landed and eluded Horowitz who had come out on the play. The ball went right back to Eberly who had crept closer to goal and she finished between a pair of Brewer defenders to seal the win. 

Vassar was unlucky not to pick up the victory just minutes earlier as a sophomore Rebecca Smith shot was turned away by Hartwick goalie Mackenzie Chapman 55 seconds into the extra session. Chapman, who also made a sprawling save to deny Tina Casso with roughly 12 minutes to play in regulation, finished the game with three saves to earn her seventh career shutout. 

Hartwick and Vassar played in a midfield battle throughout the opening 35 minutes of the game as both teams combined for just three shots. Despite the limited scoring chances, Hartwick sophomore Kelsey Kimble  had one of the best chances of the game on the first shot of the day. She redirected a cross from the left side which ricocheted off the post and the game remained level. The Hawks controlled both the second half and the overtime periods with a 10-2 advantage in shots and an 8-1 edge in penalty corners before Eberly's tally.

Hartwick outshot the Brewers 12-3, but a scrappy Vassar defense kept the Hawks off the scoreboard. Horwitz was particularly impressive in the second half, where she made all of her six saves. 

The Brewers, 0-1, will face Keystone College in a game played in Scranton, PA., this Friday, September 3. Hartiwck, 1-0, will face Rochester on September 5