Elmira College (1-6, 0-2 Empire 8) at Hartwick College (2-4, 0-2 Empire 8)
Saturday, September 26, 2015 | 1:00 P.M. | Wright Stadium – Oneonta, NY
Live Coverage
 
Elmira, NY – Coming off a season-long three-game home stand, the Elmira College field hockey team will hit the road for the first time in nearly three weeks when the Soaring Eagles do battle with Hartwick College at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26^th.
 
Last Time Out
Elmira ran into a buzz saw last Saturday when they took on the defending Empire 8 Champions in Utica College at the Murray Athletic Center. Although the Pioneers had gotten off to a slow start to the 2015 campaign, the visitors came out firing in their Empire 8 opener. Utica tallied twice in the opening 16-minutes to grab control of the contest. Elmira would grow into the game gradually throughout the first half, but could not find the back of the cage. The Pioneers would add a pair in the opening eight minutes of the second half to take a commanding lead. Kristy Haskell '19 finally got the Soaring Eagles on the board in the 49^th minute; however, it would not be enough in the 4-1 defeat.
 
All-Time Series
The Soaring Eagles have had a rough go of things in the overall series with the Hawks, entering the weekend with a 1-15 mark all-time. Elmira's lone victory came in a 2-0 shutout at the Murray Athletic Center back in 2004. Although the record is lopsided the games have been pretty competitive over recent seasons, as Elmira has fallen by a single goal in each of the last three matchups.
 
Scoring Streaks
With the goal against Utica on Saturday, Elmira has now tallied at least once in each of the last four contests. The goals have been a testament to the growth the Soaring Eagles have made in the attacking third this season. It has been an entire team effort, as the Soaring Eagles have had a different goal scorer in each of the five games they have found the back of the net this season.
 
Birthday Goals
Kristy Haskell '19 has played a big role in the Soaring Eagles young forward group this season. Her efforts were finally rewarded with a goal last Saturday, as she was able to tally the lone goal for Elmira in the 4-1 defeat to Utica. It could not have come at a more appropriate time for the young EC forward, as she was also celebrating her birthday that day. The goal was a sparkler of a tally as well in what might have been the Purple and Gold's prettiest finish of the season. Senior forward Alli Gilbert '16 whipped in a hard ball towards the cage, which Haskell deflected out of mid-air into the top right corner of the 7x12 cage.
 
Giving Gilbert
Elmira forward Alli Gilbert '16 has been Elmira's leading point getter each of the last three seasons primarily due to her ability to find the back of the cage. She entered the season with the third most goals of anyone in program history; however, Gilbert is collecting points in a different way this season. After tallying the team's first goal of the season against SUNY Geneseo, her last five points have all come by way of assists. She has already well surpassed her career-best single-season output of helpers and has tallied at least one in four consecutive games entering the matchup with the Hawks. She currently is tied for first in the Empire 8 Conference in both total assists (5) and assists per game (.714).
 
Scouting Hartwick
Similar to Elmira, Hartwick has gotten off to a slow start out of the gates this season. The Hawks dropped their initial three contests of the 2015 campaign; however, the team has rallied well since then, tallying wins in back-to-back contests before falling to Ithaca College on Wednesday afternoon to conclude the three-game road trip. Hartwick enters the weekend with a 2-4 mark overall and a 0-2 record in Empire 8 play, making this Saturday a must-win game for both sides if they hold hopes of making the Empire 8 Tournament. Scoring hasn't been a problem for the Hawks, as they had tallied at least one goal in each of their games this season, before being shutout 4-0 by the Bombers. Sarah Ryan paces the squad and ranks in a tie for fifth within the Empire 8 with four goals on the year. Shannon Carter has seen the bulk of the playing time in the Hawks cage this season, ranking second in the conference in total saves with 56 and posting a respectable .789 save percentage.
 
Looking Ahead
Elmira will take a one week hiatus from Empire 8 play to face a pair of non-conference opponents next week. The Soaring Eagles will square off with Keystone College at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29^th, while the squad will head to Oswego to tussle with Oswego State at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 3^rd.