ONEONTA, NY - Senior Brianna Crow (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) tallied her 8th career goal to help Hartwick push past Carroll University, 1-0 in the opening round of the Women's Division III Mayor's Cup on Elmore Field. Crow tallied in the 6th minute of play when defender Francis Nesi (Metuchen, NJ/Union Catholic) played a long ball which Crow collected and ripped from outside the 18-yard box past Pioneer keeper Taylor Mclean.

The Hawks were outshot in the match 16-7, but goalie Alyssa Rhondo (Saco, ME/Thornton Academy) and the Hartwick defense held up as the Hawks win for the first time at the Mayor's Cup under fourth-year head coach Matt Verni. The win is the first for the program in the tournament since a 1-0 triumph over Muskingum in 2004. Today's victory also sets up a showdown with Allegheny, a 1-0 winner over Oneonta, on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for the cup title.

Hartwick has now recorded two straight shutouts after a 1-0 blanking of Delaware Valley last weekend in the Brozman Memorial Cup and improves to 2-1 on the season. Rondo ended the match with four saves. Mclean stopped four Hartwick shots.

In the earlier game, visiting Allegheny Gators (4-0) tallied the game's only goal in the 81st minute to defeat the Red Dragons. The game remained scoreless through the first half and neither team generated much offense in the second period.

Allegheny finally broke through in the 82nd minute as a Red Dragon defender inadvertently redirected a cross into the back of her own net. Junior Becca Crissman received credit for the tally. The Red Dragons held a 10-8 edge in shots for the game. Emily Carr made four saves for the Gators while Oneonta's Amy Lusby stopped three Allegheny shots.

In the second day of competition, tomorrow at Oneonta State, the Red Dragons will host Carroll University at 11:00 a.m. The Gators will play Hartwick for what will serve as the title match in the second match.