By: Lucas Vargas
BROCKPORT, N.Y. - Brockport field hockey team squared off against the Hartwick Hawks in the Empire 8 semifinals, where Brockport fell 2-0, seeing their season end.
The first quarter saw both teams go back and forth with chances. Hartwick had four shots on goal within the first seven minutes of play, while the Golden Eagles had zero.
Brockport had its best quarter offensively with Paige Thowe recording two shots on goal and Gianna Salerno adding one.
The second quarter saw the Hawks break the seal as sophomore defender Katelyn Klotz put Hartwick ahead 1-0.
The Golden Eagles struggled offensively, and controlling the ball was a difficult task for them in transition. The Golden Eagles had six shots total, with three on goal, all coming in the first quarter.
“We just weren't connecting and capitalizing on the opportunities that we had offensively,” Brockport head coach Krista Archambeau said.
The Hawks tallied another insurance goal in the third quarter as sophomore forward Danielle Hand sneaked it by Ella Buchanan at the near post to make it 2-0.
Buchanan had 19 saves on the day, leaving it all on the field.
“I go into every practice every day like you’re not guaranteed the next day,” Buchanan said. “I try to leave a piece of me on the field; my heart is here, my soul lives here. It's a tough way to go out, but I know I gave 100%. I gave all I could, and this is the outcome."
Buchanan’s senior year will end with an 11-5 record, 129 saves and an average of 1.47 goals allowed. This was the last time she suited up for the Golden Eagles.
“We're more than just teammates,” Buchanan said. “These girls are my best friends, especially the senior class. We're close. I don't know where I'd be without them. Just to be recruited by a coach, and all of a sudden, randomly, they’re my best friends. I couldn't imagine life without them.”
Thowe is also a senior and one of the leaders of the team. She was responsible for half of the shots on goal today.
“We knew it was going to be a challenge; they're a great team, very smart, and we knew we had to make the most of every possession, and we just fell short in that aspect,” Thowe said. “We missed opportunities that we didn't capitalize on, and they capitalized on our mistakes and converted on those.”
Although the Golden Eagles missed a chance to play in the Empire 8 Finals against Geneseo, Brockport posted its most successful season since 1994. The 2024 Golden Eagles squad also recorded 14 wins, tied for the third-most in program history.
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