Box Score

ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick men's soccer team outshot visiting University at Buffalo by a 17-7 margin, but the Bulls were the victors on the scoreboard, 1-0, in a Mid-American Conference match on Halloween night on Elmore Field. Joey Merlo's blast in the 27^th minute was the difference for the Bulls who improve to 5-10-1 and 3-3 in the MAC. Hartwick falls to 4-10-2 and 1-5 in MAC play with the loss.   The Hawks dominated the proceedings in the early going as they possessed the ball and created chances over the opening 25 minutes of action. 'Wick outshot the Bulls by a 6-1 margin in the span and took six corner kicks but could not break through.
           
Leading up to the UB goal, Maksym Kowal brought a ball down with his chest and turned around a Hartwick defender roughly 40 yards from Hartwick's goal. He played a pass to teammate Patrick Ryan 25 out who sent a low pass to Merlo in the box on the right side. Merlo carried the ball in and from a sharp angle ripped a near-post shot past Hartwick keeper Mateo Munarriz (Manizales, Colombia/Colegio Granadino) for what would prove to be the game's only goal.
           
The Hawks continued to apply pressure in the first half. Perhaps their best chance came with four minutes to play. Left back David Styles (Bognor Regis, England/St. Phillips Howard) served a high cross into the box which required UB keeper Jonathan Viscosi to attempt to punch the ball out. He got a hand to it but fell down and the ball bounced to senior forward Jason Keefe (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) 12 yards away. Keefe could not get over the top of the ball though and his shot sailed high.
           
The Hawks would hold a 9-4 edge in shots and led by a 7-3 margin in corners over the opening 45 minutes.
           
With the lead, the Bulls were content to put numbers behind the ball and the Hawks kept possession for much of the second session. In the 78^th minute, Hartwick got a good chance following some nice ball movement in the Buffalo end. Right back Chris Walter (Snyder, NY/Nichols School) got free from 25 yards away and his shot beat Viscosi but skimmed off the right post and the game remained level.
           
With nine minutes to go, more buildup from the Hawks allowed freshman forward Marc Russell (Glasgow, Scotland/Woodfarm HS) a good look on goal. His shot from just outside the top of the box, however, went inches wide of the UB post.
           
Russell would force the Hawks' 11^th corner of the night with just over four minutes showing on the clock. Tyler Bailey's (Spencer, NY/Binghamton Univ.) service into the box was met by back Ross MacKinnon (Glasgow, Scotland/Jordanhill School) but his header trickled past the far post.
           
Hartwick's final chance came with 2:42 left in the game following a UB foul 25 yards from the Bulls' goal. Styles swung a left-footer in on goal forcing a diving effort from Viscosi and he managed to get his fingertips to it and keep the ball out to enable the Bulls to pick up the win.  
           
Viscosi would end the match with three stops for the Bulls. Munarriz stopped two shots in the Hawk goal.
           
With the victory, Buffalo keeps its MAC playoff hopes alive and can clinch a berth with a win Friday in its home finale against Northern Illinois on Friday night.
           
Hartwick wraps up its season on Sunday in Boca Raton, FL. The Hawks play at Florida Atlantic University at 4 p.m.