STATESBORO, GA – Hartwick looked to remain unbeaten in Sun Belt Conference play after last Friday’s draw with Appalachian State but instead Georgia Southern would hand the Hawks a 2-0 defeat on Sunday at Eagle Field in Statesboro, GA.
            The Hawks came out firing with plenty of scoring chances in the first half. A pair of shots on frame from Jhevaughn Beckford (Kingston, Jamaica/Wolmer’s Boys’ HS) and Dean Fowler (Sydney, Australia/Colo HS) both were turned away by Eagle keeper Jack Falle in the opening three minutes.
            Twenty-three minutes later, Fowler had a good opportunity but his shot was blocked. Kit Tregear (Brighton, England/BHASVIC) also had a header force a leaping save from Falle to tip the ball over the bar.
            Fowler later got on the end line and dribbled toward the Eagles’ goal but before he had a chance to slip a pass to Mike Rood (Conklin, NY/Susquehanna Valley) on the doorstep, a Georgia Southern defender had recovered and played it out for a corner.  
            The Eagles sustained the Hawks’ pressure in the early going and broke the ice in the 35^th minute. Nick Wells would score the goal as he fired from the edge of the 18 after a run up the left side.
            “Up until the goal, we looked bright and confident,” said Hartwick coach John Scott. “It affected us badly and in the second half, we couldn’t get anything going at all.”
            The Hawks had their best chance of the second half when Beckford walked in alone with Falle but his shot was blocked by the Eagle keeper to keep his team in front. Hartwick also had a few restart chances, one of which was an indirect kick 16 yards from the Eagle goal, but couldn’t capitalize.
            Pushing numbers forward late, the Hawks conceded a second with 6:50 remaining in the game. Emmanuel Raji netted the goal unassisted from 10 yards out.
            “Jhevaughn has a great chance but the keeper saves it and as we’re getting tired late and throwing men forward we lose a second,” added Scott.
            Hartwick outshot the Eagles in the game 13-9, including 9-4 in the second half. The Hawks earned five corners to Georgia Southern’s two.
            Tom Buckner (Oxford, England/Henley College) made four saves in the Hartwick goal. Falle stopped six Hartwick shots to get the clean sheet.
            The Hawks return home for their next Sun Belt Conference game on Saturday, October 18. They host the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Elmore at 2 p.m.