Men's Soccer 10/15/2011 2:27:14 PM Chris Gondek, SID

#5 Akron Uses Two Second-Half Goals to Down Men's Soccer, 2-0

Men's Soccer 10/15/2011 2:27:14 PM Chris Gondek, SID

#5 Akron Uses Two Second-Half Goals to Down Men's Soccer, 2-0

             AKRON, OH – Hartwick's men's soccer team, despite a huge effort from freshman goalkeeper Mateo Munarriz (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Granadino), came up short against nationally 5^th ranked Akron on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field in Akron, OH. The loss drops the Hawks to 5-5-2 overall and 1-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The defending national champion Zips improve to 10-1-2 overall and 3-0 in the MAC.
            “You cannot fault the effort tonight from the boys,” said Hartwick head coach John Scott following the match. “We're disappointed that we did not come away with a better result, but Akron is a quality side.”
            The Hawks played the Zips to a 0-0 draw at halftime, but two second half goals from Thomas Schmitt and Darren Mattocks provided the hosts with the victory.
            Munarriz was tremendous in the Hawks' goal throughout the night, gobbling up several Zips' scoring chances. He finished the match with 10 saves, including nine in the second half alone.
            Akron had chances to score in the opening frame, including a pair of Scott Caldwell opportunities late in the half. The first was a low screamer past the far post with roughly 17 minutes left. The latter was a free kick that rose just over the Hartwick crossbar two minutes later.
            The Hawks had a dangerous free kick with just over five minutes to play in the half from 25 yards away from the Zips' goal. Junior Greg Mathers' (Macclesfield, England/Binghamton Univ.) effort, however, was just high of the Akron crossbar.
            Just over a minute later, Mattocks found himself in close with the Hartwick goal, but a charging Munarriz smothered the chance, one of several on the night for the freshman keeper.
            Hartwick nearly got a gift at the end of the first half. A midfield clearance from the Hawks at midfield made its way in the air all the way to Akron goalie David Meves, who mishandled the ball in the box. The ball trickled towards the Zips' goal but went inches wide of the post and the game stayed level after 45 minutes.
               Munarriz came up with a pair of saves in the first minute of the second half to keep it 0-0. He came off his line to stop a Mattocks shot but the rebound fell to Aodhan Quinn. He attempted to float his shot up and over Munarriz, but the Hartwick keeper recovered to bat the ball away for a corner.
            The Zips broke through at the 66:41 mark on a 1-2 passing play. Aodhan's back heel sprung Schmitt in alone in the box and his far-post shot gave Munarriz no chance and the hosts had the 1-0 advantage.
            The Hawks pressed for the tying goal but Akron extended its lead with just 4:29 showing on the clock. A long ball was played into Mattocks who ran onto the ball and flicked it over Munarriz who had come out on the play. Mattocks collected it and finished into an open goal for his 12^th tally in the last 12 matches to put the game out of reach for the Hawks.
            “We've got four remaining matches remaining within our conference,” added Scott. We need to continue to get results so we get another crack at them in the MAC playoffs.”
            The Hawks next play on Saturday, October 22 at Bowling Green. The match is slated for 8.p.m.

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