AURORA, NY – Hartwick used three goals 10:54 apart in the early stages of the second half to pull away for a 4-0 shutout victory over Wells College on Wednesday evening in Aurora, NY. Ashley Connolly (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) found the net twice in 52 seconds for the Hawks' final two tallies.
           
With the win, Hartwick improves to 3-0 on the season entering Mayor's Cup weekend. Wells falls to 2-1.
           
"We played a sloppy first half but were better in the second," said Hartwick head coach Brian Gordon. "We moved the ball well and got a lot of players game time in prep for the weekend."
           
Madison Miller (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) got things started for the Hawks in the 11^th minute. Following a corner which bounced around in the box, she finished on a header from in close for the early 'Wick advantage.
           
Despite holding a 10-2 edge in shots in the opening half, the Hawks were forced to settle for the one-goal lead after 45 minutes of action.
           
Rachel Weir (New Milford, CT/New Milford) started the second-half rally just under nine minutes in. After working with Hanna Konash (Stowe, MA/Nashoba Regional), Weir hit a shot from 18 yards away to beat Wells' keeper Kayleigh Hurley for a 2-0 advantage.
           
Just over eight minutes after the Hawks' second tally, Connolly curled in a high shot past Hurley for a 3-0 margin. Shortly thereafter, Connolly put away Hartwick's final goal in the box following a deflection. Sierra Bentley (Worcester, NY/Schenevus) earned an assist on the play.
           
The Hawks would out-shoot the Express 15-3 in the second half to finish with a final margin of 25-5. The Hawks also took all of the game's eight corners.
           
Megan McGillycuddy (Glenville, NY/Scotia-Glenville) and Celeste Trevellini (Bayside, NY/World Journalism) split goalkeeping duties for the third straight match. McGillycuddy made one save in the first half with Trevellini stopping three in the second. Hurley and reserve Karli Maloney combined for six saves in the Express goal.
           
Hartwick hosts Ursinus on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on Elmore Field in the second game of the Mayor's Cup. Oneonta State and St. Joseph's LI kick off the women's tournament in the first match at 1 p.m. The Hawks are the defending champions.