BURLINGTON, Vt. – Reaching the back of the net with 2:27 remaining in regulation on a Vermont own goal, the University of Hartford men's soccer team scored its third-straight shutout victory on Saturday, taking down the Catamounts by a final score of 1-0 at Virtue Field. The Hawks (8-5-2) improve to 3-2-0 in conference action while Vermont (7-6-2), which entered the match in a three-way tie for first place with seven points, drops to 2-2-2 in the America East.

The Hawks ended an eight-game winless drought when playing Vermont in Burlington using a throw-in from senior Aleko Petridis from the far sideline. Several Hartford heads attempted to get on teh ball, but it was one of a Vermont defender that deflected it into the goal to put the visiting team ahead by a 1-0 count. The victory is also Hartford's second-straight over the Catamounts.

Between the posts, sophomore David MacKinnon collected a game-high six saves, including four in the first half, as Hartford outshot Vermont, 11-9, on the match.

With two games left to play in the regular season, the Hawks are currently atop of the America East with nine points. With seven points, UMBC (2-0-1 AE), which plays tonight at New Hampshire, is tied for second in the league standings with UMass Lowell (2-1-1 AE), which also plays this evening against Binghamton but is ineligible for postseason play.

The Hawks wrap up their regular season home schedule next Saturday evening when they welcome the Albany Great Danes to Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium. Prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff, Hartford's five seniors – Patrick Hallahan, Aleko Petridis, Rohan Roye, Omar Tall and Connor Yeaney – will be honored.

GOAL SUMMARY:

• With regulation coming to a close, senior Aleko Petridis took the honors on a throw-in from the far sideline; sending a long ball into the penalty box, it was a Vermont defender that deflected it into the back of the net to give Hartford the 1-0 lead

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

• Momentum in the first half swung back-and-forth, with each team swapping scoring chances
• Both sides produced a pair of quality chances in the first half, with David MacKinnon coming up huge on Vermont's best opportunity in the 34th minute by smothering Brian Wright's point blank shot on a two-on-one featuring Rohan Roye on the backline; the play countered a Hartford restart
• Testing Vermont keeper Conor Leland early on a shot from junior Javoni Simms in the 19th minute, sophomore Udi Cohen produced another quality attempt for the Hawks 90 seconds later, but hit the crossbar; Cohen later produced another opportunity, one that was saved by Leland but offered Simms another look on the goal for Hartford
• Early in the second half, Andre Morrison's shot on a free kick from 22-yards out was saved by Leland; the Hawks produced another opportunity off the deflection with Romario Jones seeing a chance for his fourth goal of the season, but he put too much behind the rebound 
• Hartford continued to pressure Vermont's defense in the second, forcing the Catamounts to make a pair of team saves with clearances on the line, including one on a blast from Simms with less than four minutes left 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• For the sixth time in eight matches, Hartford outshot its opponent, putting up 11 attempts to Vermont's nine
• Each side put six of its shots on goal
• Sophomore David MacKinnon made saves on all six shots on goal he faced for his third-straight shutout and sixth of the season
• Hartford also held the edge in corner kicks at 4-3 

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less): 

• Hartford scored the 1-0 win on an own goal by Vermont
• With the win at Vermont, Hartford ends an eight-game winless drought at Vermont, an 0-6-2 stretch that dated back to 2001
• Scoring a shutout win for the 3rd-straight match, the Hawks took down the Catamounts for the 2nd-consecutive year
• SO keeper David MacKinnon made six saves between the posts for his 3rd-straight shutout and the 15th of his career
• The win on the road was Hartford's first true road victory of the season

UP NEXT:
Hartford concludes its regular season home slate next Saturday with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Albany Great Danes. Prior to kickoff at Al-Marzook Field, the Hawks' five seniors will be honored.