ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick took care of business at home in its regular season finale against Howard University on Saturday with a 5-0 drubbing of the visiting Bison on Senior Day. It marks the highest scoring game for ’Wick since a 5-1 win over St. Bonaventure in 2012 and the largest margin of victory since a 6-0 victory over Florida Atlantic in 2006.
            The victory improves the Hawks’ season mark to 4-9-4 and ends their inaugural Sun Belt Conference season at 3-1-1. The Hawks are in first place pending the result of the Georgia Southern-Georgia State game later this evening. An Eagles’ loss at GA State would give the Hawks the outright conference regular season title. A win or tie for Georgia Southern and the Hawks will claim the #2 seed.
            Freshman Marc Berry (Galashiels, Scotland/Galashiels) led the Hawks today with career-highs of five points and two goals, all of which came in the second half. Senior Jhevaughn Beckford (Kingston, Jamaica/Wolmer’s Boys’) added a goal and an assist in his final game on Elmore Field. Sophomore Kit Tregear (Brighton, England/BHASVIC) and freshman Wyatt Scott (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) also tallied for ’Wick.
            The Hawks dominated the match from start to finish, out-shooting the Bison 25-6. Goalkeepers Tom Buckner (Oxfordshire, England/Henley College) and Mateo Munarriz (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Granadio) combined for the clean sheet for the Hawks with neither having to make a save all day.
            Beckford put Hartwick in front after 21 minutes of scoreless play. He received a pass from junior back Ross MacKinnon (Glasgow, Scotland/Jordanhill School) and broke into the box with a 1v1 situation with Howard goalkeeper Eric Hamilton. Beckford got Hamilton on the ground, dribbled around him and slipped the ball into an empty goal for a 1-0 Hartwick advantage.      
            The Hawks had several more good scoring chances but couldn’t get the insurance marker they wanted until 1:17 before halftime. A ball played into the Howard box couldn’t be cleared by the Bison. A scramble ensued and Tregear was there to clean it up. He wasn’t able to get much behind the shot but it managed to beat Hamilton, slipping just inside the near post and the Hawks’ lead was extended to two heading into halftime.
            The Hawks held a 12-2 advantage in shots in the opening 45 minutes. They also had a 3-1 edge in corners.
            Just over 10 minutes into the second half, ’Wick made the Bison deficit three. Mike Rood (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) served a ball into the mixer to Hamilton’s right. Beckford went up with a Howard defender and nodded it on to an unmarked Berry on the far post. Berry made no mistake, beating Hamilton to his left.
            Less than four minutes later, Berry was at it again. This time, senior midfielder Chris Walter (Amherst, NY/Nichols School) delivered to him after dribbling five Howard defenders and laying the ball off to him. Berry received the pass, cut the ball back to elude a defender, and finished for his fourth tally of the season.
            Scott finished off the day’s scoring in the 88^th minute for his first tally in a Hartwick shirt. He would beat Hamilton on another 1v1 with Berry setting him up on the play.
            The game marked the final one on Elmore for Beckford, Walter, Munarriz, and midfielder Rio Dhat (Auckland, New Zealand/Epping Boys). The four were honored prior to the match for their contributions to the program.
            Buckner played the opening 63:33 in goal for ’Wick. Munarriz finished it up for the final 26:27. Hamilton would end the match with 10 saves.
            The Hawks, who will be making their second straight postseason appearance, will play in a Sun Belt Conference semifinal at Georgia Southern’s Eagle Field in Statesboro, GA on Friday, November 14. Their opponent as well as kickoff time is yet to be determined.

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