UTICA, NY  -- The Utica College field hockey team fell into a 2-0 hole midway through the contest and could not rally as the Pioneers lost to visiting New Paltz 4-1 in the final game of the Utica College Field Hockey Invitational at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Sunday. 

UC sophomore midfielder Maria Orsino (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) netted her first collegiate goal at the 37:53 marker to cut the New Paltz lead to 2-1, but that was as close as the home team would get, as they eventually lost the three goal decision. Senior Colleen Dowling (Fairport, NY/Fairport) collected the assist in the lone Pioneer goal.  Dowling leads the team with two assists this season.

After a scoreless 32 minutes of action New Paltz got on the board with two goals, just 3:10 apart, to take a 2-0 lead midway through the contest.  Kayla McKeveny netted both of the goals for the Hawks. 

Sam Eberle and Serena Capsello each added late goals to help lift the visitors.  New Paltz improved to 3-0 on the year, while the Pioneers dropped to 1-2 overall.

UC goalie Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) stopped 10 shots on the day while Jessica Smith (Vernon, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) added three defensive saves for the Pioneers. New Paltz goalie Alayna Wageman was a rock in net all afternoon as she stopped 14 shots in her first win of the season.

Coleen Dowling took six shots on net for Utica but could not seem to find the back of the cage.  New Paltz outshot the Pioneers 26-16 on the day and also earned a 12-8 advantage in penalty corners.

Utica returns to action next Saturday when they travel to RPI to take on the Engineers at 1 p.m.  UC returns home next Sunday when they take on the University of Rochester at 1 p.m.