ONEONTA, NY – The Hartwick men's soccer team picked up that elusive first Empire 8 win this afternoon, scoring two second-half goals in a 2-0 win over Alfred. The Hawks are now 6-2-2 on the season and 1-1-1 in conference, while the Saxons are 2-6-2 overall and 1-2-0 in the Empire 8. 'Wick also remains unbeaten on Elmore Field, as they are now 6-0-2 at home this season.
Both sides were cagey throughout the first half, with each team sending more than its fair share of poor passes forward as well. The Hawks had quite a few openings in the first 45 minutes, but could not quite push the ball over the goal line. The best of those chances came right at the death of the half, as a long throw-in by Joey Bertone (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) was flicked on by the head of Rodrigo Fernandez (Leon, Mexico, Instituto Centraa). The ball landed in the middle of the six-yard box and perhaps a few feet from the goal, but the Saxons scrambled and removed the ball from danger.
Hartwick perhaps took a positive message from that near miss into the locker room, acquiring the lead under three minutes on to the second half. Jimmy Noel (Cap Haitian, Haiti/Baldwin) and Tyler Muir (Poughquag, NY/Arlington) caused some trouble together on the right side of the penalty box, before Muir broke past a pair of defenders to play Bertone for the finish in the 48th minute.
'Wick secured some insurance in the 77th minute. Ethan Kaiser (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) split the Saxon back line, and Zach Craft (Unadilla, NY/Unatego Central) made no mistake from 12 yards out for his first collegiate goal.
The Hawks should have sealed it with 83 minutes gone by, after a Jodi Johnson (Seaford, DE/Sussex Technical) goal kick was helped on by Matteo Sweet (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham Wading River) at the halfway line. Kaiser then flicked the ball on with a second header that put Jake Zona (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) in on goal, but as Alfred keeper Steven Morrow raced to cut down the angle Zona's shot went wide of net.
Only two Hawks had more than one shot on the day, as Bertone and Noel each sent two towards net. Johnson played all 90 minutes in goal, making one save to earn his third clean sheet of the season.
'Wick is back to it a week from today, as they travel to Houghton for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.
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