BOX SCORE
Amherst, MA ? The Hartford men's soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with the Rhode Island Rams in the first game of the final day of action at the UMass Tournament. The Hawks finished the tournament with a 0-1-1 record and are now 2-2-3 overall this season. URI is also 2-2-3 overall this year.
The Rams struck first in the game with a goal in the 28th minute. Jeffrey Gonsalves provided the offense for Rhode Island, scoring an unassisted goal from 10 yards out sending his shot from the left corner to the lower right corner of the net.
In the first half the Hawks led the offensive attacks with three shots, compared to only two for Rhode Island. Hartford's shots forced URI keeper Chris Pennock to record two saves while both of the Rams shots were wide of the net.
The Hawks evened things off in the 65th minute when Matt Vinci scored his first goal of the season on a cross from Kenniel Martin and Kevin Hall. The cross came to the opposite post when Vinci sent it clear to the back of the net for the equalizing goal.
Hartford keeper Matt Glaeser was forced into action only 29 second after the Hawk goal when Gonsalves attempted to score his second goal of the game which Glaeser was able to punch out of play. Hartford put Pennock to the test in the 70th minute and in the 73rd minute when Gary Muir and Oswald Adu both had shots that Pennock was able to save.
Despite a barrage of shots over a 3:04 span between the 76th and 79th minute, neither team would score again in the second half, forcing overtime. During that span of three minute the Hawks had a pair of shots while URI made an impressive offensive attack but the Hartford defensive kept its composure while facing four shots. Glaeser recorded a pair of saves during that stand.
The Rams took a total of five more shots before the end of regulation, but the game was destined to go to extra time. In the first overtime both teams had legitimate scoring attempts. Kevin O'Donnell Shaw had a shot hit off of the post for Hartford, while Glaeser was forced to make a save on a Kevin Hammil shot for the Rams.
In the final overtime the Rams had three attempts, one which barely missed when it hit off of the crossbar. Hartford took only one shot in the second overtime, a shot from Martin, which went wide right.
The Hawks finished the game trailing in shots 18-12 with the Rams putting nine of those shots on goal, while Hartford had seven on goal. Glaeser finished the game with nine saves, while Pennock had six. The Rams led the game with six corner kicks, compared ton only one for Hartford while URI was also caught with 16 offside's and Hartford had none.
The Hawks will be back in action, twice this coming week. It begins with a night game at Fairfield as the Stags will play their first home game of the season on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Hartford then returns home to open up conference play with Albany on Saturday, September 23, at 6:00 p.m. on Al-Marzook Field.
