The New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association tournament started last Wednesday when the third-seeded Red Hawks hosted Elmira College. After a quiet first half, RPI came alive, blasting away shot after shot at the Soaring Eagles’ Megan Mooney. When the dust settled, Rensselaer had handed Elmira a 7-1 drubbing and was headed for Oneonta and the state semifinals against Ithaca.

The Bombers were much tougher opponents, and the Red Hawks needed every second of playing time to stay in the tournament.

Even though the Bombers had 11 penalty corners in the first half, RPI got on the board first on an unassisted goal by freshman Tracy Scott 20 minutes into the contest. Ithaca’s Marie Engle scored late in the half to tie the game at one.

Aimee Nicholas gave the Bombers the lead just a minute into the second half, and padded that advantage with another goal with 11:28 left in regulation.

Forward Chelsea Foley buried a pass from Mary Roy to get the Red Hawks back within one goal three minutes later, but the next eight minutes ticked off with no further scoring and it looked as if Rensselaer would be playing in the consolation match against Brockport; however, an infraction by the Bombers resulted in an RPI penalty corner. The Red Hawks’ top two scorers rose to the occasion, with sophomore Jessica Butler tapping the ball to All-American Katie Coleman, who fired home the tying goal with just two seconds remaining on the clock.

Only one shot was taken in the overtime period, and it came off of the stick of the Red Hawks’ Dina Cinelli, giving RPI an incredible 4-3 victory and an appointment with the top-seeded Hartwick Hawks the next day for the state championship.

The title match was a low-scoring affair, due in large part to the play of Rensselaer Goalkeeper Cathy Hotchkiss. Hartwick outshot RPI 22-10, but Hotchkiss kept the Hawks at bay, compiling a tournament-high 14 saves and keeping the game close after Hartwick got off to an early lead on an unassisted goal by Stephanie Lawrence.

The Red Hawks got on the board when freshman Sandra Harya set up Coleman for the tying goal, and the game remained knotted at one for the remainder of the half.

Seven minutes into the second half, Scott picked up her third goal of the tournament, putting RPI ahead. After that, the Rensselaer defense held fast, with Hotchkiss fending off any shot that got through, and after shutting the Hawks out for the next 28 minutes, RPI walked off with a 2-1 upset victory and the state crown.