ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick and Vermont played to a 1-all draw after 45 minutes, but the visiting Catamounts scored twice in the opening 1:28 of the second half in a 4-1 victory over the Hawks on Friday night on Elmore Field in the season opener for both teams.
Justin Freitas opened the scoring for UVM in the 20
th minute after finishing off a pass from Jon Arnar Barddal. Hartwick answered less than two minutes later as
Kane O'Neill's (Lochwinnoch, Scotland/Gryffe) cross was headed in by senior
Marc Berry (Galashiels, Scotland/Galashiels Academy) to tie the score. Berry's powerful header from 15 yards away beat UVM keeper Aron Runarsson, took a deflection off the underside of the crossbar, and nestled into the far netting.
Vermont came roaring out of halftime and just sixty-one seconds in, Geo Alves collected a service from the right sideline from Tom Cole and tucked the ball past Hartwick keeper
Lenny Wilson (Aberdeen, Scotland) for what would prove to be the game-winner. Alves wasn't done as he took a short pass at the top of the box from Dadi Halldorsson and beat Wilson low to the far post just 27 seconds later for a 3-1 Catamount advantage.
Cole and Alves connected one more time in the 57
th minute. This time Alves was the set-up man as he played a ball through into the box which Cole ran onto it and fired home for the final goal of the night.
UVM led the Hartwick in shots 13-5 in the contest. The Catamount also held a 7-5 edge in corners.
Wilson concluded the game with five saves in the Hartwick goal. Runarsson was called upon to make one stop for UVM.
The Hawks remain at home for their next game on Tuesday night against Marist College which begins at 7 p.m.