ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick's men's lacrosse team led visiting Hamilton College 4-2 early in the second quarter, but the Continentals scored seven of the next eight goals to go ahead for good in a 16-9 setback for the Hawks. Hartwick trimmed the gap to three twice in the third quarter but the visitors would net four of five late in the quarter and into the fourth to put the game away.
           
Hartwick drops to 10-3 on the year with the loss. Hamilton ends its season with an overall mark of 5-9.
           
Sam Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) led Hartwick with two goals and a pair of assists. His brother, Dylan Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin), and David Demand (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) each added two tallies. Kainen Francis-Thompson (Hogansburg, NY/Massena) and Tim Watson (Wrentham, MA/King Philip Regional) had two assists apiece.
           
Sam Ferguson broke the ice at the 11:43 mark of the first quarter only to have Hamilton answer right back 28 seconds later. Demand and Mike Majchrzak (Plantsville, CT/Southington) found the net at 8:13 and 3:58, respectively, as the Hawks grabbed a 3-1 advantage. Hamilton cut its deficit in half to close out the quarter.
           
Dylan Ferguson made it 4-2 on the man-up from Francis-Thompson just 17 seconds into the second period. The Continentals evened the score with two scores 40 seconds apart. Derek Chandler (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) put the Hawks in front for the last time with his first career goal at 'Wick at 8:46. Hamilton tied the score a minute later and then jumped ahead to stay with two goals six seconds apart for a 7-5 advantage. The Continentals would tack another two second-quarter goals and they led at halftime 9-5.
           
Both teams exchanged goals throughout the third quarter. Dylan Ferguson and Demand scored for the Hawks to draw within three, but each time Hamilton answered.
           
The Continentals found the net 34 seconds into the fourth quarter for a 12-7 edge. Garrison Wojtas (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge) came back for Hartwick with a goal 1:01 later but Hamilton netted the next two at 9:15 and 7:11 to make it a six-goal game. Sam Ferguson scored the Hawks' last goal at the 5:58 mark, but Hamilton tallied 1:13 apart to close out the scoring and the victory.
           
The Continentals controlled the face-off circle, winning 24-of-28 on the afternoon. They also had advantages in shots (47-35) and ground balls (47-30). Quinlan Crowley won all 24 face-offs for his team. He also grabbed a game-high 19 ground balls. Chad Morse led Hamilton with three goals. Henry Hunt had two goals and three assists, and Chris Conley, Ben Gardner, Charlie Ratner, and Zach Larsen each tallied twice.
           
Wojtas topped the Hawks' lineup with seven ground balls. Chandler contributed four, and Francis-Thompson and goalie C.J. Alesandrini (Schenectady, NY/Colonie) each had three. Alesandrini stopped 14 shots in the 'Wick cage. Chandler and Andrew Wright (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) each tied for a game-high with two caused turnovers.
             
Hartwick wraps up its regular season on Saturday with an Empire 8 game against first-place Stevens. The game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
           
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