Warhawks Retain Hawk Cup with Win over Loras
For the second season in a row, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's soccer team is the winner of the Hawk Cup after topping the Loras Duhawks 2-1 Wednesday night at Fiskum Field in Whitewater.
This is the eighth installment of the Hawk Cup, starting back in 2009. Loras leads the series 5-3, but UW-W has won the last two meetings.
The Warhawks sped out to a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the game when six-foot-eight defender Justin Stanko (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) gently bent a free kick around Loras' wall and into the goal.
"That was truly an All-American goal. For a guy his size to delicately finesse that ball in is remarkable," Head Coach Tony Guinn commented after the match.
Chris Lucatorto (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) made several critical first half saves to keep Loras off the board and carry UW-W to a 1-0 halftime lead.
Hozai Ceballos (Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig) added an insurance goal, which proved to be the game-winner, in the 72nd minute after making a quick move to beat the Duhawk keeper.
Loras continued to pressure the Warhawk defense, finally breaking through in the 80th minute.
UW-W, 5-2-2, managed the clock, and possession, over the last ten minutes to hold on for the win.
Lucatorto ended the match with eight saves to earn his fifth win of the year. After the match Coach Guinn remarked, "He is one of the best goalkeepers I've ever coached. Every opposing coach comes to me after the game and tells me how good our keeper is."
The Loras men fall to 4-3 after finishing as National Runner-up in 2015. "Their coach (Dan Rothert) is one of the best coaches in Division III soccer. They are well coached and are going to do great things," Coach Guinn added in his postgame comments.
The Warhawks have a quick turnaround as they will host Wisconsin Lutheran College Friday night at Fiskum Field. The match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
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