DURHAM, NH – Two first-half goals for host University of New Hampshire held up as the Hartwick College men’s soccer team was defeated by a final score of 2-1 at Bremner Field in Durham, NH on Friday night. The match served as the season opener for both teams.
            Hartwick’s Ross MacKinnon (Glasgow, Scotland/Jordanhill School) cut the deficit in half less than six minutes into the second half. The Hawks, however, were never able to muster a tying goal in the remaining 39 minutes.
            The Wildcats had multiple chances in the opening 15 minutes. ’Wick keeper Lenny Wilson (Aberdeen, Scotland/Cults Academy) robbed A.J Albers with a save from in close less than six minutes into the contest. Four minutes later, Chris Arling flicked a ball past a Hartwick defender and had a wide open look at goal but drove his shot wide. Less than five minutes later, with Wilson off his line, Fazal Nabi had an open look at the net but his effort was blocked by a Hartwick back inside the six-yard box.
            In the 24^th minute, the hosts broke through. Lukas Goerigk played a ball over the top of the Hartwick defense to Arling. He ran onto it at the corner of the box and had plenty of time to drive a low, far-post shot past Wilson for a 1-0 lead.
            It took New Hampshire less than fifteen minutes to add to their total. Reserve Alex Valencia, who had entered the game less than eight minutes prior, found space on the left side at the top of the box and fired low to the bottom right of the goal for a two-goal advantage.
            The Hawks showed more life in the second half and got on the scoreboard early. MacKinnon made it a 2-1 game as he drove a left-footed bomb past UNH goalkeeper Ryan Carpenter from 25 yards away.
            With less than 20 minutes remaining, sophomore Marc Berry (Galashiels, Scotland/Galashiels Academy) got free on the right side and sent a dangerous ball across but no one was there to get on the end of it. Two and a half minutes later, a service from the left side from MacKinnon found David Styles (Bognor Regis, England/St. Phillip Howard) in the box but his header was wide of the target. The Hawks generated a corner in the waning minutes but couldn’t produce a shot.
            The Wildcats closed the match with a 10-7 edge in shots. Wilson made four saves in his first collegiate game. Carpenter got the victory in goal for UNH without having to make a save.
            Hartwick travels to St. Bonaventure on Monday night for its second match of the 2015 campaign. The Hawks and Bonnies kickoff at 7 p.m. in Olean, NY. 

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