WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Posting a dominant effort on both sides of the pitch, the University of Hartford men's soccer team remains unbeaten in 2014 after taking down the visiting Northeastern Huskies, 1-0, in its home opener Monday evening. In front of a school-record breaking crowd of 2,163 fans who were packed into Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium, freshman Andre Morrison delivered the game-winning marker 33 minutes in.

Hartford improves to 1-0-1 on the young season while Northeastern, which was coming off a 1-0 victory over America East member New Hampshire, falls to 1-1-0. Highlighting the Hawks' solid defensive effort was sophomore keeper David MacKinnon, who made three saves to reward his team with their first shutout of the year. 

Hartford has won two of its last three against Northeastern and improves to 16-5-2 in the all-time series.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

• After Northeastern opened up the match with the first scoring opportunity when Brad Fountain hit the cross bar in the fifth minute, the Hawks countered with several near misses.
• A blast from 20 yards out by sophomore Udi Cohen in the 15th minute just missed the upper right while three minutes later, freshman Mike Barry's header on a pass from Javoni Simms went just wide.
• Hartford took its first lead of the 2014 campaign in the 33rd minute with Andre Morrison scoring on a corner kick; Matt Barry provided the serve inside of the box, allowing Morrison to use his head to put the finishing touches on the ball.
• The Hawks forced Northeastern keeper Jonathan Thuresson into action once in the opening half as his diving save to his right prevented Romario Jones, a Hartford sophomore, from doubling the lead to 2-0 in the 43rd minute.
• In the second half, David MacKinnon made a pair of key stops to prevent the equalizer from reaching the scoreboard; the sophomore first punched out a header by Ambry Moss in the 58th minute before stopping a head ball by Frantzdy Pierrot, who netted the Huskies' game-winner on Friday night against New Hampshire, with seven minutes remaining in regulation.

 GOALS RUNDOWN:

• After a series of near misses, Hartford converted in the 33rd minute when Andre Morrison received a pass from Matt Barry out of a corner kick and sent a ball with his head past Jonathan Thuresson

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• A dominant first half saw Hartford hold advantages in both shots (6-3) and corners (4-2)
• The momentum carried into the second half as the Hawks finished ahead of the Huskies overall in shots (15-10)
• Hartford recorded a season-high three shots on goal, while its 15 shot attempts were also a season-best
• David MacKinnon, a sophomore keeper, made three saves in the win while Huskies' goalkeeper Jonathan Thuresson had a pair of saves

 TWEETABLES (140 characters or less):

• Freshman Andre Morrison's first career goal provided Hartford with its first lead of the 2014 campaign
• A school-record 2,163 fans came out for the Hawks' home opener, beating out the previous record (1,512) set in 2013 vs. George Mason
• Hartford is a perfect 4-0 in home debuts under fourth-year head coach Tom Poitras
• Making three saves in the win, sophomore David Mackinnon collected his 10th career shutout
• The Hawks improve to 16-5-2 against the Huskies
• In their last 11 home games at Alumni Stadium, the Hawks have lost just twice, going 6-2-2

 UP NEXT:

The Hawks return to the pitch on Saturday night when they welcome the Villanova Wildcats to Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium. The two squads will look to break open a 1-1-1 deadlock in the all-time series at 7 p.m.

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