HOBOKEN, NJ - A goal from Kathleen Schuckers with 3:32 remaining in the game broke a 0-0 tie and handed Stevens a 1-0 win over Hartwick in Empire 8 women's soccer Saturday.

The outcome, coupled with an RIT loss to Elmira, eliminates the Hawks from conference playoff contention and seals a berth for Stevens. With a victory next weekend over Alfred and a Stevens loss to Nazareth, the Ducks and Hawks would finish with identical 4-4 records in the E8 standings. The Ducks win today gives them the edge in the tie-breaker if the scenario played out.

Hartwick dominated the action and was the aggressor in the opening half of play. The Hawks fired 14 shots on the Stevens' goal with the Ducks only managing four in the first 45 minutes of action. Despite the decisive edge, Ducks' keeper Kaitlin McClymont kept the game even with five stops, including a kick-save on a Lauren Ploof (Hammond, NY/Hammond) effort with 10 minutes to play in the half.

The Ducks turned the tables on the Hawks in the second half as they generated several scoring chances in the early going taking seven shots in the first 10 minutes. The hosts' best chance came from the foot of Gia Gonzales just a few minutes into the stanza as she sent a shot from a crossing pass off the crossbar.

Stevens would end the period taking 12 of the half's 16 shots. The Ducks were finally rewarded for their persistence in the 87th minute. Schuckers made a run down the right side before firing a shot that deflected in off Hartwick goalkeeper Alyssa Rondo (Saco, ME/Thornton Academy) for the decisive tally. The goal would stand up as the Hawks were unable to get a good look at the Stevens' net in the final three and a half minutes. Rondo finished the match with four saves. McClymont stopped seven.

Hartwick travels to Troy, NY for a meeting with RPI on Wednesday. The team then wraps up the regular season with a match at Alfred October 31st.