BOX SCORE
West Hartford, Conn. – David Bernhardsson, Jorge Rodriguez and Anthony Santaga all struck gold as the Hawks scored their first league victory of the year defeating previously unbeaten in conference play UMBC 3-1 at Alumni Stadium on Saturday night. Hartford improves to 4-8-4 overall and 1-2-2 in conference play with the victory.
Bernhardsson provided the only offense in the first half as he connected with Santaga and Mathias Axelsson in the 33rd minute. The play began with a Hawks corner kick that was cleared out by the Retrievers (7-5-3, 4-1-0 AE). Axelsson gathered the clear and after assessing the Hawks offense sent a long pass up the center of the field over the midfield line where Santaga used a header to his right finding Bernhardsson who chipped the ball over UMBC keeper Dan Louisignau for his fourth marker of the season.
UMBC, whose loss tonight broke up the only unbeaten records in league play as well as a 10-game unbeaten stretch in league play that dated back to October of last season, had the first look of the game at scoring a goal in the 16th minute when Pete Caringi gathered the ball after it had been headed between four different players. He sent a hard shot over the top of the net from the edge of the 18 yard box. The Hawks would have two looks at the goal before the goal in the 23rd minute and the 27th minute. The first attempt was a header from James Stamopoulos, which came off a throw in, that landed in the grasp of Louisignau.
The second Hawks attempt was a great run through the defense for Santaga after receiving a pass from downfield. Santaga worked from nearly midfield all the way to the corner of the box and fired a shot that just barely missed the opposite post. Less than four minutes after Bernhardsson's goal, the Hawks had another impressive look when Rodriguez attempted a header off a cross from Patrick Boucher deep in the box that Louisignau was able to control.
The Hawks' second goal, which proved to be the game-winner, came off a direct kick as Rodriguez bent the ball, which was about 24 yards out, just inside the near post on the keeper's right as the keeper dove to try and punch it out. Rodriguez's shot found its way inside the upper right corner for his second marker of the year.
Santaga would then rack up two more points, finishing with three in the game, when she connected with Bernhardsson deep in the Retrievers' half. In a failed clear attempt by the Retrievers, Bernhardsson found Santaga's head at the edge of the 18 yard box where Santaga's header over the keeper landed back at his feet, where he had no challenge chipping it over the line from six yards out.
The Retrievers would break up the blank slate in the 79th minute when Andrew Bulls took advantage of a tackle inside the box by scoring on a penalty kick, his fourth goal of the season. Overall for the game, Hartford led the shots battle with a 14-11 advantage. Hartford finished with seven shots in each half, while the Retrievers managed just three in the first half and eight in the second. Combined, the teams took 15 total corner kicks, nine for the home squad and six for the visiting team.
The Hawks will close out the home portion of its 2011 schedule when they host Binghamton on Wednesday at Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium. The Hawks and Bearcats are scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start. Prior to the game, Hartford will honor six senior members of the 2011 squad: Matt McElroy, Luke Citriniti, Jordan Bar, Patrick Boucher, Jorge Rodriguez and Andrew Liapis.
