PATCHOGUE, NY – Hartwick trailed by four goals at halftime but rallied late in the second half to get to within a goal with six and a half minutes left at St. Joseph's (LI) on Saturday. The host Eagles, however, scored three times in the final five minutes to pull away for an 11-7 win.
           
With the loss, Hartwick slips to 1-2 on the campaign. St. Joe's improves to 2-3.
           
Lauren Rosenberg (Smithtown, NY/Commack) led Hartwick offensively with three goals. Lisa Littleton (Yorktown, NY/Yorktown) and Emily Jweid (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) each registered a goal and an assist. Jweid also recorded a game-high eight draw controls.
           
The game could have gotten away from the Hawks in the first half of play as the Eagles outshot them by a 28-9 margin. But a big effort from Steph Luce (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) kept the Hawks in it. The senior keeper fell one shy of a career-high in the first half alone with 16 saves. She would finish the day with 22 stops.
           
The Eagles grabbed a 2-0 lead after two tallies in the opening 6:09. Goals from Meagan Wright (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) and Jweid 18 seconds apart evened the game at the 20:51 mark, 2-2.
           
The two teams traded goals at 15:08 and 12:39 with Rosenberg finding the net for the Hawks and the game was 3-3 with under 10 minutes left in the half.
           
St. Joe's would take control in the final 6:40 of the opening 30 minutes as it scored four consecutive goals to take a 7-3 lead into halftime.
           
The Hawks wasted little time in the second half getting right back into as they scored a trio of goals 1:32 apart to make it a 7-6 game. Rosenberg scored on a free-position shot to start the rally. Littleton then found the net unassisted and Rosenberg added her third goal with Kia Ference (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) dishing out the assist.
           
The game remained 7-6 for the next 14 and a half minutes. The Hawks had three shots in the span with the potential of tying the game. Ference and Rosenberg both had shots turned away by Eagle goalkeeper Courtney Wickline.
           
With 8:16 remaining in the contest, the Eagles got their eighth goal. Colleen Jones (Ardsley, NY/Hackley) answered right back for Hartwick 1:44 later off a feed from Ally Naja (Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls).
           
The Hawks won the ensuing draw but turned it over. The Eagles made them pay with a goal with exactly five minutes left. They tacked on another goal 39 seconds later for a three-goal cushion. St. Joe's won the next draw and quickly tallied again for an 11-7 advantage.
           
The Hawks were unlucky in the waning minutes as Jweid and Rosenberg both hit the post and the Eagles would emerge with the victory.
           
St. Joe's held advantages in shots (39-21) and ground balls (26-22) while the Hawks won 12 draws to the Eagles' eight.
           
Mel Niewender (New Hyde Park, NY/New Hyde Park Memorial) tied for a game-high with four caused turnovers for the Hawks. She also contributed three ground balls. Caroline Stanford (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) earned a team-best with four ground balls to go along with three caused turnovers. Jweid, Wright, Littleton, and Mattie Coffey (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) each caused two Eagles miscues each.
           
St. Joe's was led by Heather Ferchland's three goals. Meaghan Haber and Caitlyn Webber each added two goals. Wickline finished with six saves in cage.
           
Hartwick is back in action on Friday, March 20. The Hawks travel to Mount Saint Mary for a 6 p.m. game.