Box Score

ITHACA, NY – Hartwick men's soccer team played for the first time in 10 days on Tuesday night, falling short at nationally 22^nd ranked Cornell University by a final score of 4-1. The Hawks slip to below .500 with the setback with a 2-3-2 overall mark. Cornell (8-0-0) entered the game as one of just three teams in the country who are unbeaten and untied this season.
           
“Basically it came down to us not being able to contain their two forwards,” said Hartwick head coach John Scott. “Their two front runners accounted for three goals and an assist. We just needed a better effort tonight.”
           
The Hawks could not have started the contest better, gaining a 1-0 lead just 22 seconds into the match. Freshman back David Styles (Bognor Regis, England/St. Phillip Howard) served a ball into the box from the left side and senior forward Cleyon Brown (Kingston, Jamaica/Berkshire School) headed the ball into the back of the net for his team-leading fourth goal of the season to stake the Hawks a one-goal edge. It also marked Styles team-best fourth assist on the year.
           
Cornell broke through in the 8^th minute following a foul in the Hartwick 18-yard box. The nation's leading scorer, Daniel Haber, converted the penalty kick as he put the ball up high past a diving Tom Buckner (Oxford, England/Henley College) who guessed right on the play.
           
The Big Red added its second of the night in the 27^th minute. A long ball was played into the Hartwick box which a Hawk defender got his head onto. The ball, however, deflected off Cornell's Tyler Regan and fell to his feet. He slotted home past Buckner and the hosts led by a 2-1 margin.
           
Cornell would hold a 10-4 edge in shots in the opening half of play. The Hawks' lone shot on target was Brown's tally.
               
Hartwick's best chance of the second half came in the 62^nd minute. A ball from Brown allowed forward Jason Keefe (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) a shot in the box. He walked in alone with Cornell keeper Rick Plasterer but his effort went wide of the goal.
           
“It was a great opportunity for us to pull even in the match,” said Scott. “They came back and deflated us with their third goal a few minutes later.”
           
Less than three minutes after the Hartwick chance, the Big Red would counter to extend its advantage.  Haber was at it again as he received a ball and cut it back to gain a shooting lane. His shot eluded Buckner low for the hosts' third goal. It also marked Haber's 13^th tally in eight games.
           
Cornell added a fourth goal in the 79^th minute. Atticus DeProsp tipped in a ball from Regan for the tally.
           
The Big Red finished the match with a 19-6 advantage in shots. Buckner closed the game with seven saves. Plasterer did not have to make a save in the victory in the Cornell goal.
           
Hartwick gets back to action with its Mid-American Conference opener on Friday night on Elmore Field. The Hawks hosts Bowling Green (3-4-2, 0-1 MAC) at 7 p.m.