AKRON, Ohio – The University of Hartford men's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season, as it fell 2-0 in the final match of the Akron Tournament to the host-team Zips on Sunday afternoon. Going without a goal for the first time all season, the Hawks dip to 3-1-1 on the season while Akron, which scored its first result of the year after defeating UCF, 2-1, on Friday evening, improves to 2-2-1 overall.

The opening 29 minutes was a battle for possession between the Hawks and Zips as just one shot was attempted by the home team. The Zips picked up the pressure over the next 18 seconds with a pair of blocked shots leading up to a shot on goal for Akron, which was saved by Hawk goalkeeper David MacKinnon.

Despite MacKinnon, a sophomore, coming up with the huge save, Akron kept attacking and earned a pair of corner kicks. Hartford's defense deflected an Akron attempt wide before Bryce Cregan served a ball in the middle to Saad Abdul-Salaam, who headed in the goal-ahead marker in the 31st minute. Facing a halftime deficit for the first time all season, Hartford conceded a second-half goal in the 62nd minute as Brad Ruhaak put the finishing touches on an Adam Najem free kick from 35-yards out.  

Senior Rohan Roye, junior Jhamie Hyde and rookie Andre Morrison, a trio of defenders, were named to the University of Akron Tournament All-Tournament Team. MacKinnon finished with two saves on the afternoon for the Hawks, who return to action on Friday afternoon at Harvard at 4 p.m.

COACH POITRAS SAID
"Our effort was really good, we worked really hard to carry the second half. We had eight shots to their one and seven corners to their two, but nothing to show for it. I think our guys left Akron very unsatisfied with being 1-1 after today. We will have to execute better in the final third and defend the restarts much better than today. We will have to come back much stronger next Friday against Harvard."

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• After a back-and-forth battle for possession, Akron picked up the pressure and got off five shots within an 84-second span
• Hartford's defense blocked the first two Akron attempts before sophomore keeper David MacKinnon saved a shot from Sam Gainford from the left wing by dropping to his right to prevent the go-ahead marker
• The Hawks forced two-straight Akron corner kicks, and on the final attempt, a ball served into the 18-yard box by Bryce Cregan from the right found the head of Saad Abdul-Salaam in the 31st minute to put the home team ahead, 1-0; the point-blank shot beat MacKinnon to his left
• With six minutes left until halftime, Javoni Simms attempted a shot from the left wing from about 10 yards out, but his ball was just wide right of the mark
• In the 62', Akron scored off a free kick from the top of the box on a finish from Adam Najem to put the home team up by a pair of goals

 INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• David MacKinnon, a sophomore goalkeeper, made a pair of saves in the match
• Junior forward Javoni Simms led the Hawks' attack, which outshot the Zips, 12-8, with three shots
• Hartford put three shots on goal, forcing Akron keeper Jake Fenlason (2-2-1) into a pair of saves 

 TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

• The Hawks lost for the first time in 2014 with the 2-0 result at Akron
• The two goals are the most conceded by Hartford in a single match this season
• Prior to suffering the 2-0 loss at Hartford, the Hawks had conceded just one goal through four matches
• Hartford's match at Akron was the first time the Hawks have been shutout this season
• SR Rohan Roye, JR Jhamie Hyde and FR Andre Morrison were named to the Akron Tournament's All-Tournament Team

UP NEXT
The Hawks continue their five-game road trek on Friday afternoon when they head to Harvard for a 4 p.m. matchup against the Harvard.

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