ONEONTA, NY – Jim Mahony (Bournemouth, England/Bournemouth Collegiate) assisted on the first goal and scored the next two (including his first as a Hawk) in the Hartwick men's soccer team's home meeting with Bard on Tuesday evening, leading the way in his side's 3-0 win. The victory pushes 'Wick up to 2-1 on the season, while the Raptors have now dropped their first two contests of the fall.
The first significant chance of the game came in the 13th minute, as Hartwick's Brady Cummings (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham Wading River) found himself with a free header in close off a beautiful cross before sending it right at the keeper. Bard nearly found themselves in front seven minutes later when Dylan Kotlowitz was in on a semi-breakaway, but it was not to be, as the freshman's shot hit the left side of the net.
'Wick broke through in the 38th minute off of Peter Crawford's (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) first collegiate tally. He was led in on a nice Mahony ball and slotted it right side for the icebreaker. With about two-and-a-half minutes left before the break it looked like the Hawks would have a chance to double their lead from the penalty spot. Crawford again found himself with the ball and only the keeper to beat and was taken down from behind but the referee swallowed his whistle and let the teams play on.
Fortunately for the home crowd, it did not take too long into the second half for the Hawks' second of the night. Jimmy Noel (Cap Haitian, Haiti/Baldwin) crossed one into the box from the right side that deflected up, again off the back of Crawford, and landed right at the feet of Mahony for the 57th minute tally. The goal was the first of Mahony's young collegiate career. The dagger came just over six minutes later as Noel worked his way around a defender and into the box along the endline before whipping a low cross on to Mahony's foot who put it crossbar and in.
Cummings and Crawford led all players with three shots, with Mahony's two goals coming on just two shots. Jodi Johnson (Seaford, DE/Sussex Technical) earned his second home clean sheet in two starts by making one save in his 90 minutes in net.
Shots were nearly even at the half with a 4-3 advantage to the hosts, but the Hawks turned it on in the second 45 and outchanced Bard 7-1 for a 11-4 differential overall. The Hawks also had the lead in corners, at 5-3.
'Wick plays next this weekend in the Oneonta Mayor's Cup, as they will take on St. Lawrence Saturday at 4 p.m. and Clarkson Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Both games will take place at Elmore Field.
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