POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 16, 2016) – The Vassar College field hockey team set a school record for consecutive wins on Wednesday, chalking up the seventh straight win as the Brewers knocked off Hartwick College 2-0 in action from Weinberg Field.
 
While the streak has been impressive, as if winning seven games in a row wasn't already enough, Vassar hasn't allowed a goal during that stretch having now posted 490 straight minutes of shutout hockey. The victory wasn't easy though, as the visiting Hawks (6-3) were strong in the back with exceptional play coming from senior goalkeeper Shannon Carter.
 
The Brewers (9-1) peppered the cage with shots through the first half, outshooting Hartwick 19-2 in the period. The first real chance of the game though came from the Hawks, as Maggie Stauble tested Paige Amico, as she was forced to make a kick save. Vassar went on the offensive, and nearly scored in the 15^th minute, but Carter made a save on Emily Poehlein and a subsequent shot from Storm Sideleau was nabbed off the line by Stauble.
 
Vassar continued to hound the Hartwick defense, and got one by Carter in the 29^th minute of the contest but another defensive save thwarted yet another opportunity for VC. The Brewers would pick up nine penalty corners but the 13 first-half saves from the Hawks, 11 from Carter pushed the game into intermission scoreless.
 
After the half, Vassar finally put a goal home 7:01 into the second half thanks to some nifty play from freshman Sam Plante. The freshman back got a pass back from senior Lauren Shumate off a long corner, and then weaved to her right through three defenders before sending a long drive through six players to the left post. Senior Emma Bracken was there waiting on the cross, and tucked the shot near post on Carter for the tally.  
 
"I was just hanging out up at the left post, I was playing left forward and Sam hit a nice through the ball," said Bracken. "She did all the hard work and I just finished it." The goal for Bracken was her first of the season, and she became the 12^th player on the team to score, the most of any Liberty League team.
 
Vassar had another great scoring opportunity 53:30 into the game on a penalty corner, but sophomore Alyssa More's attempt clanged off the post before her rebound attempt went just wide left. The pressure continued to come for the Brewers, and would result in the second goal of the game as Hayley Beach was able to deflect a pass into the circle high into the netting for the goal.
 
The Brewers would not allow another shot, as freshman Cristina Lopez and the contingent of midfielders locked in Hartwick all the way through the final buzzer. Vassar ended up outshooting its visitors, 32-3, while earning a 15-1 penalty corner edge. Carter made 14 saves in net before coming out with 5:02 to play, and Jilian Sabatino stopped her only shot on goal for the Hawks.
 
"The first half was pretty slow, and we recognized at halftime, we needed to pick it up and we brought the energy in the second half…," said Plante.
 
Amico picked up her third straight solo shutout on the season Wednesday, while also making three stops in net. The Brewer defense was also strong, as Plante, Sophie Arnold, Monica Feeley and Molly Youse all played well. More and Lopez paced Vassar with six shots each, while sophomore Megan Caveny, Sideleau and Bracken all had four shots apiece.
 
"It was a good win, Hartwick is very challenging, they have a phenomenal defense, the goalie is stellar," said head coach Michael Warari. "It took everything for us to come out and play consistently well."
 
The Brewers will now focus on another big Liberty League road contest, heading to No. 10 William Smith College Saturday at 1 p.m. for a conference matchup with the Herons on McCooey Field in Geneva, NY.