Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Powered by a pair of goals in the second half, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) field hockey team came-from-behind to defeat Oneonta State, 2-1 in non-conference action at Harkness Field.  The win – RPI's fourth in a row – moves the Engineers to 10-4 on the season.  The Red Dragons move to 11-6 on the season.
 
Trailing 1-0 after the opening half of action, the Engineers rallied back into the game as junior Holly Dupuis (Brookfield, MA/Worcester Academy) banged in her own rebound at the left post at 55:41.  RPI, which at one point faced a 17-0 shots deficit in the opening stanza, pushed down the field.  Dupuis' first shot was saved, but the ensuing rebound could not be controlled as she snuck it in.
 
Tied with less than seven minutes remaining, Rensselaer grabbed the lead as rookie Liana Viaggio (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) sent a quick shot past Red Dragons goalie Tess Tracy (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool).  Viaggio had the first shot, which was saved, but the ball rebounded out to sophomore Jen Piselli (Branford, CT/Hamden Hall Country Day School), who crossed it in front to Viaggio for the one-timer.
 
Rensselaer - which is now 8-0 at home this season - played solid defense over the final minutes of the game, dominating the ball in the Oneonta State offensive zone to secure the victory.
 
The Red Dragons struck first in the opening stanza as leading scorer Megan Warning (Lake Peeksill, NY/Putnam Valley) hammered home a rebound to the right of RPI netminder Briana Earle (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker).  Off an Oneonta State corner, senior Jacqueline Camp (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) took the first shot that Earle was able to kick save.  The ball stayed loose in traffic and Warning found it for the tally at 15:15.
 
Rensselaer got off to a slow start in the game as the Oneonta State offense took charge, jumping out to a 17-0 lead in shots before the Engineers began to comeback. Viaggio had one of the best attempts in the half as she raced down the right side in a 2-on-1 with junior Carlie Newcomb (Southwick, MA/Southwick Tolland Regional).
 
Viaggio – who helped set up Wednesday's overtime game-winner against Utica in the same fashion – took a hard shot at Tracy, but the netminder was up to the task as she kicked it away and out of the zone.
 
In goal, Earle picked up the victory, stopping 18 shots, including 13 in the first half.  Tracy made nine saves in the loss.  Both teams each recorded a defensive save.
 
For the game, the Red Dragons held a 28-26 advantage in shots, and were dominant on corners by a 16-8 margin.
 
Rensselaer returns to the field on Thursday for a 7pm game at Castleton State.  Oneonta State is back in action on Wednesday with a 4pm contest at Utica.

For news and updates regarding RPI field hockey, fans can follow Engineers Athletics on Facebook (RPI Athletics) and via Twitter (@rpiathletics).  Photos of Rensselaer student-athletes can be purchased at http://www.rpiathletics.com/photos.