CORTLAND, N.Y. – New Paltz scored four second-half goals to erase a 1-0 halftime deficit and the second-seeded Hawks defeated top-seeded Cortland, 4-1, in the SUNYAC field hockey tournament championship game at Cortland's Stadium Complex.

New Paltz (15-5) won its fourth straight SUNYAC title and earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Div. III tournament. Cortland finishes the season with a 14-5 record.

The Red Dragons grabbed the lead just under nine minutes into the game when sophomore Megan O'Brien (Holmes/Carmel) scored off a rebound after a flurry during which New Paltz senior goalie Alayna Wageman (Getzville/Williamsville North) made four consecutive saves.

The Hawks tied the game 5:42 into the second half when senior Dani Ackerman (Nesconset/Smithtown East) dribbled in from the right side and scored from about 10 yards out. New Paltz grabbed the lead less than four minutes later when freshman Serena Capsello (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) scored off a rebound for the first of her two goals in the contest.

Sophomore Hayley Kim (West Hurley/Onteora) provided an insurance goal with 14:46 left when she deflected in a ball near the left post sent in from the top of the circle by senior Jessica Caruana (Holbrook/Sachem East). Capsello closed out the scoring with 7:16 remaining when she poked in a shot off a short cross from sophomore Sam Eberle (Hamburg).

Wageman finished with nine saves for New Paltz and Cortland freshman goalie Kailynne Reinoehl (Lititz, PA/Warwick) made seven saves. Cortland lost despite outshooting the Hawks, 15-13, and earning seven penalty corners to the visitors' six.

Ackerman was named the tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Wageman, Caruana, Sarah Sansone (New City/Clarkstown South) and Kayla McKeveny (Holbrook/Sachem East). Cortland senior Jillian Vogl (Cazenovia), sophomore Meg Redmond (Accord/Rondout Valley) adn senior Sara O'Brien (Amherst) were all-tournament team selections, along with Oneonta's Holly VanDreasar and Krista Servedio and Geneseo's Elena Hingston and Dayna Mercer.

Video Highlights

New Paltz 4, Cortland 1

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):

New Paltz: Serena Capsello 2-0, Dani Ackerman 1-0, Hayley Kim 1-0, Sam Eberle 0-1, Jessica Caruana 0-1
Cortland: Megan O'Brien 1-0

Halftime: Cortland 1, New Paltz 0
Shots: Cortland 15, New Paltz 13
Penalty Corners: Cortland 7, New Paltz 6
Saves: Kailynne Reinoehl (Cortland) 7 (4 GA in 70:00); Alayna Wageman (New Paltz) 9 (1 GA in 70:00)

Record after game: New Paltz (Hawks) 15-5; Cortland (Red Dragons) 14-5