ONEONTA, NY – Despite a wide margin in shots, the Hartwick men’s soccer team lost a 2-1 decision to St. Peter’s University on Sunday to wrap up the 2014 Mayor’s Cup. The Hawks outshot the Peacocks 21-4 in the match, but SPU was able to find the net on half their opportunities. The loss puts the Hawks’ overall record at 0-2-2.
            Marcel Maddee scored both of the Peacocks’ goals on the afternoon. He handed his team an early 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. After a giveaway in the back, Madee broke in alone with Hartwick keeper Tom Buckner (Oxford, England/Henley College). Madee would sneak the ball by him to the near post to put St. Peter’s in front.
            Hartwick would hold an 8-2 edge in shots in the half, but none of the Hawks’ efforts were on goal.
            ’Wick put pressure on the Peacocks for the duration of the second half. Jhevaughn Beckford (Kingston, Jamiaca/Wolmer’s Boys’ School) had the first opportunity of the half as a rifled a shot from the left side forcing a big save from St. Peter’s keeper David Giddings.
            The ensuing corner kick from Chris Walter (Snyder, NY/Nichols School) found the far post where Kit Tregear (Brighton, England/BHASVIC) got a head to it but the ball sailed just wide.
            The Hawks continued to press for the tying goal and had several solid shots blocked by the Peacocks’ defenders. Against the run of play on a counter attack, Mateus Santiago moved down the left side for St. Peter’s and went one on one with a Hawk defender in the box. The ball made its way to an unmarked Maddee and he slammed home the Peacocks’ second tally.
            ’Wick nearly drew one back in the seventy-fourth minute as a Walter corner kick found Jamie O’Grady (Falkirk, Scotland/Falkirk) in the box. His far-post header had Giddings beaten but it glanced off the crossbar and stayed out.
            Finally the Hawks got on the board in the seventy-ninth minute. Giddings came out to punch away a service in the Peacock box but the ball eluded him. After a quick scramble, Hartwick forward Dean Fowler (Sydney, Australia/Colo) was there to fire into an empty net past a few St. Peter’s defenders into the far corner.
           With eight minutes left, O’Grady sent a low scorcher just wide of the post and following another Walter corner, Jack Miller (Commack, NY/Commack) sent a shot in that was cleared off the line by the Peacocks with five and a half minutes left. ’Wick had one final corner with 20 seconds left but Giddings was able to gobble it up to seal the SPU win.
            Tregear and Walter were named to the all-tournament team for the Hawks. They were joined by Louis Mobbs, Luke Fairlamb, and Maddee from St. Peter’s, Jordan Ayris and Angus Hastings from Fairfield, and Chris Wingate, Dave Schlatter, Andrew Chaput, and Will Szostkiewicz from New Hampshire. Wingate was also selected as the Jim Lennox Most Valuable Player with Chaput taking home the Garth Stam Defensive MVP honor. The Wildcats won the cup with a 2-0 mark following a 1-0 shutout of Fairfield today.         
            Hartwick next plays at the Capital Cup in Washington D.C. next weekend. The Hawks play American and George Mason.