Geneseo’s field hockey team is putting together yet another successful season in 2019. Picking up wins over Nazareth College and Ithaca College in the past week, the Knights are on a momentous surge that will position them well once the SUNYAC Tournament begins in early November.
In the 3-1 win against Nazareth on Sept. 18, the Knights outshot their opponents 28-7, exemplifying yet another positive defensive showing. Senior forward Erin Nolan opened up the scoring for Geneseo off an assist from first-year forward Maggie Phipps, putting them up 1-0 in the second period.
Nazareth was able to halt the Knights offense for the remainder of the first half, but Geneseo scored once again in the final two minutes of the third quarter. Junior forward Haley Clark was the one who put the ball in the goal unassisted to push the Knights’ lead to 2-0.
Nazareth was able to put a scoring effort together early in the final period, but it proved to be too late and Geneseo returned to campus with a 3-1 victory to build from.
Build off it they did, as they hosted Ithaca College on Saturday Sept. 21 and came away victorious yet again in a tightly contested game. Defense by both teams was the star, as the game ended in a classy 1-0 win for the Knights thanks to the lone goal scored by senior defender Julia Kim in the 24th minute. The game-winning goal came as a result of a penalty in favor of Geneseo; Clark centered a pass to Kim who put it away.
It takes unity as a team to perform as well as the Knights have, but maintaining an intense mindset is just as crucial. Junior midfielder Jordan Penkitis described the changes that the team have adopted to keep this mindset strong.
“As for corrections that we have made, increasing our intensity during practice, making sure we are working together as a unit and focusing on playing a full game and not having lapses in our play in games are the main ones,” she said. This intensity and team unity allow the Knights to dominate their opponents and prove why they will be the team to beat at SUNYACs.
Following their tight victory over Ithaca, the Knights remained in Geneseo and faced Wells College on Wednesday Sept. 25 in what may have been the game that will turn the heads of the rest of the SUNYAC teams as they head into conference play.
The Knights won by a score of 12-0, outshooting Wells 43-0. The onslaught began when Clark notched a goal 27 seconds into the game, soon followed by six more goals before the end of the first period. The first half ended with two more Geneseo scores, making it 9-0 entering the third period. The second half was much of the same story, ending with back-to-back goals from first-year forward Julia Brzezicki followed by the final score from sophomore defender Grace Maley.
The game featured a special moment when first-year forward Isabella Vinciguerra assisted her twin sister, first-year forward Olivia Vinciguerra’s first collegiate goal during the first period. In addition to this, four Geneseo players recorded a two-goal game.
While discussing the end of season, Penkitis cites the same factors that have gotten them to this point as the important things to focus on. “Staying strong through the end of the season is going to take mental toughness from everyone and continued focus and intensity during practices and all of our games leading up to the really important ones that come at the end of the season,” she said.
Looking down the season’s home stretch, the Knights open conference play against Morrisville on Saturday Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. in College Stadium.