FAIRFIELD, CT – Senior Mike Rood’s (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) individual effort 6:33 into the first overtime led the Hartwick men’s soccer team to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Fairfield University on Saturday night. Rood gathered the ball at the top of the 18-yard box following a corner, maintained possession through a couple of Stag defenders, and fired into the roof of the net for the winner.
            The victory improves the Hawks’ record to 4-1-2 overall. They are 3-0-2 in their last five matches.
            The Hawks and Stags battled through the first 45 minutes with only three shots between them. Hartwick’s Marcus Nordgard (Copenhagen, Denmark/Oeregaard Gymnasium) had the first solid chance for either team early in the second half. He received the ball at the penalty spot with his back to goal, turned, and shot to force a diving save from Stag keeper Jack Robinson.
            Fairfield broke the ice in the 64^th minute as Didirk Angell found the net after a cross to give his side the upper hand. Steven Valente was credited with the assist.
            Just under eight minutes later, the Hawks won a free kick from just outside the box, roughly 20 yards away from the Stag goal. Captain Jack Donaldson (Paisley, Scotland/Mars Hill University) stepped up for the free kick and buried his shot in off the crossbar to even the contest at 1-1.
            The hosts nearly got the go-ahead goal with four and a half minutes to play in regulation. Angell fired a shot on target but it was cleared off the goal line by a ’Wick defender.
            In overtime, Fairfield generated a pair of corners before the Hawks’ earned their first, which would produce the winner. Donaldson served the ball into the box which set the stage for Rood’s game-winning tally.
            The victory breaks a streak of three straight ties between the Hawks and Stags. Hartwick improves to 4-2-3 all-time in matches against Fairfield.
             Hartwick finished the match with an 8-7 edge in shots. Lenny Wilson (Aberdeen, Scotland/Cults Academy) played all 96:33 in goal for the Hawks. He was not called upon to make a save. Robinson stopped four Hartwick shots.
             The Hawks are back in action on Tuesday. They travel to Burlington, VT for a match with the University of Vermont beginning at 7 p.m.

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