STATESBORO, GA – Hartwick saw its 14-game unbeaten streak against Sun Belt opponents come to an end on Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Georgia Southern in Statesboro, GA. The loss is the first against a league opponent since falling on the road to the Eagles on October 12, 2014.
            With the result, Hartwick slips to 7-3-3 overall and 1-1-1 in Sun Belt play. They are 0-2-1 in their last three matches.
            The Eagles struck first in the 21^st minute. A deflected shot from outside of the Hartwick box popped up in the air which sent Hartwick goalkeeper Lenny Wilson (Aberdeen, Scotland/Cults Academy) up to gather it. As he grabbed the ball, he collided with a ’Wick defender and Eagle striker and lost control of it. Josh Bronstorph was there to clean it up and put the ball into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
            The Hawks had their best chance of the opening half with six and a half minutes remaining in the half. A lofted pass up and over the Eagle defense to a waiting Mike Rood (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) on the six provided a header that forced Southern keeper Torgeir Fjaer to tip the shot over the crossbar.

            Hartwick had two chances early in the second half. Berry had a low shot right at Fjaer five minutes in. Kyle Honor (Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) had a header inch by the near post two minutes later.
            The Eagle lead was extended to two in the 58^th minute. Sander Wang’s corner kick was headed in by Emil Laursen and the hosts had a two-goal cushion.
            Roughly 10 minutes after conceding their second goal, the Hawks cut their deficit in half. Hamish Ritchie (Aboyne, Scotland/Aboyne Academy) collected an Eagle clearance 25 yards from goal. With his left foot, he sent a perfectly placed shot in off the right post and the Hawks were back in business.
            Unfortunately for the Hawks, they were only able to generate two more shots the rest of the way. One was a Ritchie shot that went high and the other was an Elliott Bentley (Leicestershire, England/Tresham College) shot that went wide.

            The Eagles out-shot the Hawks by a margin of 15-10. They also earned nine corners to the Hawks’ three.
            Wilson made one save in 90 minutes of work for ’Wick. Fjaer made three stops for Georgia Southern.

            Hartwick is now tied for third place with Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt standings. The Hawks trail the first-place Eagles (2-0-1) and Georgia State (2-1).
            The Hawks return to Elmore Field on Tuesday night when they host the University at Albany beginning at 7 p.m.

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