ONEONTA, NY – Two goals in a 28-second span held up as Hartwick and Niagara (2-1-1) played to a 1-1 tie in men’s soccer on Monday afternoon at the Soccer Hall of Fame Complex in Oneonta, NY. The game was a replay of last night’s contest which was halted due to lightning. Heavy rains pushed the game off-campus.
            Hartwick (1-1-1) jumped in front with 23 minutes remaining in the game following a corner kick that was scored by freshman Chris Walter (Snyder, NY/Nichols School). Junior back Matthew Robertson (Banchory, Scotland/Binghamton U.) and Greg Mathers (Macclesfield, England/Binghamton U.), however, did much of the work on the tally. Mathers drove a left-footed kick into the box which Robertson met eight yards out. His header took a deflection off Walter, beating Niagara keeper Brett Petricek (Woodridge, IL) low to his right.
            The Hartwick lead was short-lived as the Purple Eagles needed less than 30 second to even the match. Bryan DaCruz (Barrie, ONT) played a ball from the right sideline across to Carl Haworth (Barrie, ONT) at the top of the ’Wick box. With one defender on him, Haworth settled the ball and made a move around him to free up space and hammered a low left-footer to the far post past a diving Tom Buckner (Oxford, England/Henley College).
            Howarth nearly made it 2-1 Purple Eagles with less than three minutes left in regulation. Buckner had the ball at his feet and was attempting to clear it up the field, but Howarth was able to get a foot on the ball. It traveled backwards, rolling toward the empty Hartwick net, but Buckner was able to recover and slapped the ball away for a corner before the ball crossed the line.
            In overtime, the Hawks had the only two solid chances to score. Thirty seconds into the first 10-minute session, junior midfielder Simon Greatwich (Lewes, England/Lewes Prior) slipped a ball into the box behind the Niagara defense. Senior captain Pat Thompson (Candor, NY/Candor) ran on to it and had only Petricek to beat, but he put the ball wide of the far post.
            With 24 seconds to play in the second overtime, Greatwich earned a free kick 25 yards from the Purple Eagle goal. He put his shot on frame, but Petricek handled it off a tough bounce.
            Hartwick would outshoot the Purple Eagles by a slim 17-16 margin. They registered nine shots to Niagara’s four in the first half.
            The Hawks did have several scoring chances both in the first and second half. Mathers had the first solid chance from either team 16 minutes into the game. His one-timed blast from 25 yards out following a corner was tipped over the bar by Petricek.
            Ten minutes into the second half, Greatwich nearly made it 1-0 after running onto a bouncing ball in the box only to have Petricek get a piece of his shot to keep it out.
            Niagara came close to drawing first blood less than three minutes later. Kyle Moraldo (Winnipeg, MB) had a free header after a cross from the left side but his effort bounced straight down and over the Hartwick crossbar.
            Buckner ended the match with six saves for Hartwick. Petricek stopped four ’Wick shots.
            The match marked just the third meeting between the two programs with both teams sporting a 1-1-1 record. The last time Niagara traveled to Oneonta in 2003, the game was also moved the Hall of Fame due to weather conditions.
            Hartwick next plays in the 36^th Annual Oneonta Mayor’s Cup on Friday, September 9. The Hawks kick of the tournament against Fairfield University at 5 p.m. Robert Morris and Cornell follow the match at 7:30 p.m.

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