ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick’s men’s soccer team was less than 10 minutes away from securing its first Mayor’s Cup crown since the 2007 season, but visiting St. Francis Brooklyn evened the score and then outlasted the Hawks in a penalty shootout to grab the title instead. The match, finishing 1-1 after 110 minutes is officially recorded as a draw. ’Wick is now 2-1-1 on the year. The Terriers are now 1-3-1.
             Hamish Ritchie (Aboyne, Scotland/Aboyne Academy) scored his first collegiate goal to give the Hawks a 1-0 advantage in the 35^th minute of play. Following a cross into the SFB penalty area, a deflection allowed Ritchie a free hit from six yards away. Seth Erdman, the Terrier goalkeeper, got a piece of Ritchie’s blast but couldn’t keep the ball out as it made its way into the near corner for a 1-0 Hartwick lead.
            The Hawks would hold a 5-2 edge in shots in the opening 45 minutes. But the Terriers gained momentum in the second half. They out-shot the Hawks 9-6 in the period and finally were rewarded in the 81^st minute. Jim Lennox Offensive Most Valuable Player Dominick Falanga ripped a shot from 35 yards away from the left side of the Hartwick goal that found the net to even the match at one.
            Only one shot was generated in the overtime periods and the match went to a shootout to determine the Mayor’s Cup champion. Mike Rood (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) converted Hartwick’s first kick followed by St. Francis Brooklyn’s Salvatore Barone. Marc Berry (Galashiels, Scotland/Galashiels Academy) was ’Wick’s second shooter and his well-placed, well-paced shot to Erdman’s right forced a big diving save from the Terrier goalkeeper to keep it out.
            The next five shooters from both squads, including Hartwick’s Jack Donaldson (Paisley, Scotland/Mars Hill University) and Kit Tregear (Hassocks, England/BHASVIC), would score to set the stage for the Terriers’ final kick in round five from Collyns Laokandi with a chance to seal it. Hartwick keeper Lenny Wilson (Aberdeen, Scotland/Cults Academy) guessed correctly, diving to his right, but Laokandi’s shot was too good and SFB came out on top.
            For his efforts, Edrman was named the Garth Stam Defensive Most Valuable Player. He finished the day with five saves, to go along with his important stop in the shootout. Wilson would finish the night with two stops for the Hawks.
            Ritchie fired three shots off to lead the Hawks. Berry, Cameron Paton (Edinburgh, Scotland/The Royal HS), and Kyle Honor (Setauket, NY/Ward Melville HS) each registered two.
            Hartwick next plays on Saturday, September 17 at St. Peter’s beginning at 2 p.m.
 

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