NEWARK, NJ – Hartwick scored two goals in the opening 28^th minutes to claim a victory over NJIT in a Sun Belt Conference match on Saturday. The Highlanders cut the lead in half in the second stanza, but the Hawks held them off for the win.
            “Although we didn’t play our best,” said head coach John Scott. “We were clinical in a few moments that added up to us winning the game while accepting we can do better than we showed tonight.”
            Hartwick improves to 6-4-2 and is still unbeaten in the Sun Belt at 2-0. NJIT falls to 3-7-4 and 0-2.
            The Hawks got a fortunate bounce in the fourteenth minute to grab a 1-0 lead. A Jamie O’Grady (Falkirk, Scotland/Falkirk) searching pass for Dean Fowler (Sydney, Australia/Colo) forced a Highlander defender to put the ball into his own net and Hartwick was in front.
            It took just over 14 minutes for the Hawks to pull further ahead. A splitting pass from O’Grady was collected by Fowler in the box. He took the ball left to get the keeper down, and as he dove, chipped the ball up and over him for a 2-0 advantage.
            The Hawks had a chance at a third less than a minute later after being awarded a penalty kick. Mike Rood (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) took the kick but it was turned away by NJIT keeper Marco Luna.
            The Highlanders got on the board 11:58 into the second half of play. Samuel Jester scored with Mamadou Guirassy assisting.
            The Highlanders had three shots the rest of the game but ’Wick would keep them out to secure the victory. Lenny Wilson (Aberdeen, Scotland/Cults Academy) stopped one shot in the game for the Hawks. Luna finished with four saves.
            Hartwick next plays on Tuesday night back on Elmore Field against Colgate. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

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