NEW PALTZ, NY – In a battle of two very evenly match teams, the University of Rochester pulled out a 4-3 overtime victory over host SUNY New Paltz on Saturday afternoon at North Turf Field.
 
First-year Maeve Fogarty scored twice, including the overtime game-winner for Rochester, with Mara Heppard and Anya Arseneau each adding tallies for the Yellowjackets. Both Nikki Mercer and Karina Bridger picked up assists for Rochester (5-2).
 
In goal, Helen Schmitter made three saves in a little over a quarter of action and gave up two goals. Kara Houston played the final 52 minutes of the game and was excellent, making eight saves.
 
New Paltz got its goals from Natasia Plunkett, Shannon Bernhardt and Amanda Quenneville, while goalie Davin Testo made six saves.
 
The host Hawks (4-1), got a goal on the first shot of the game from either team in the 5th minute. Plunkett took a sweep shot which found the back of the cage off a Quenneville pass in from the right side.
 
A minute later, New Paltz had another strong chance off a penalty corner, but a Hannah Ackerman shot was cleared off the line for defensive save by UR's Lesley Leatherman.
 
Later in the quarter, Mara Heppard scored for the third straight game, scoring shortly after a penalty corner shot from Zoe Conomikes was saved by Testo. Mercer grabbed an assist on the play, with Heppard's goal coming as she swatted a loose ball out of mid-air.
 

New Paltz answered right back though, scoring on its next shot attempt off the stick of Bernhardt. The goal was following a penalty corner pass from Ackerman. It was Bernhardt's first goal of the year.
 
Neither team could find the cage in the second quarter, as the score was 2-1 New Paltz heading into intermission.
 
UR's Fogarty had a scoring chance in the 23rd minute, but a defensive save by New Paltz's Sam Moran kept the home team in from. Less than two minutes later, another defensive save of a Conomikes shot was made by the Hawks' Madeline Meyer.
 
Strong defense from the Hawks backline continued in the early going of the third quarter, as another defensive save, this time by Emily McGovern denied a scoring opportunity off Bridger's stick.
 
Two minutes later, New Paltz was issued a penalty stroke attempt, but Houston stood tall in the cage and made a huge stick save, keeping UR within one.
 
Rochester knotted the game in the 41st minute when a penalty corner pass from Bridger was swept in with a hard shot from the left wing by Fogarty.
 
Seven minutes into the fourth quarter Rochester's Arseneau scored her first career goal off a defensive save rebound to put Rochester ahead 3-2.
 
New Paltz responded quickly once again tying the game at 3-3 in the 56th minute, as Quenneville found the back of the net, deflecting in a top of the circle shot by Ackerman.
 
In the extra session, Houston was terrific, making three straight saves in the opening four minutes of the period.
 
For the game-winner on UR's lone shot of overtime, Fogarty made a terrific individual play, weaving between the defense and lifting a backhand shot into the top left corner of the net, sending Rochester home with the win.
 
The team stats were pretty much even across the board, with New Paltz taking 18 shots to Rochester's 16. Corners were in favor of the Hawks 12 to 11 and Rochester earned the save advantage, making 12 stops to New Paltz's 10.
 
Rochester's next game is Tuesday night on the road at Oswego State starting at 7 pm. UR returns home next Friday to open the Liberty League season against William Smith.