THE BASICS:

RESULT: New Hampshire 2, Hartford 1 (2ot)
RECORDS: Hartford (4-7-5, 0-4-2 AE); New Hampshire (10-3-3, 3-2-1 AE)
LOCATION: Bremner Field (Durham, N.H.)

THE LEAD: University of Hartford senior Javoni Simms gave the men's soccer team an early lead in the fourth minute of action on Friday night, but it wasn't enough to come out on top as New Hampshire mounted a comeback and scored a 2-1, double overtime victory at Bremner Field. Fazal Nabi netted the equalizer just 3:17 into the second half before Chris Arling propelled the Wildcats to the win with 2:22 left in the second overtime session.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

·         The Hawks didn't take any time to take an early lead. Just 3:05 into the match, the Hawks came up with a steal in their zone on a failed clear attempt by the Wildcats. Junior Udi Cohen came up with the interception, and slipped a forward pass through four New Hampshire defenders to Sims, who one-timed the New Hampshire keeper and put the Hawks on the board with his sixth goal of the year.

·         Producing the first four shots of the match, Hartford's back line held New Hampshire without a shot until the 22nd minute. Hartford went on to finish with the edge in the shots category in the first half at 7-6 and kept the Wildcats at bay as none of the home team's opportunities were on target. New Hampshire keeper Andrew Pesci was forced to make three saves to maintain the one-goal deficit.

·         Similar to the first half, the scoring action happened early in the new stanza. This time, it was New Hampshire that struck the scoreboard. With both teams trading possession out of a throw-in near midfield, Chris Wingate gained control and fed Fazal Nabi, who netted the equalizer with a low shot to the right post just 3:17 into the second half.

·         The Wildcats went on to hold a 9-6 advantage in shots in the second half. Hartford got off quality shots, but New Hampshire's back line was down for the challenge as two of the Hawks' opportunities were blocked before the final line of defense in Pesci came up with stops on two more attempts.

·         With the Wildcats seeing the lone shot attempt of the first overtime, the second overtime was all Hartford to start, as it maintained possession for most of that session. In the 107th minute, freshman Andri Jonasson got a piece of a cross from Song, but Nabi came up with the save to preserve the tie. Just 81 seconds later, though, New Hampshire found the back of the net for the game-winner after Arling beat his defender at midfield, and finished with a low shot to the right.   

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

·         New Hampshire edged Hartford in shots, 17-15.

·         Both teams finished even in shot attempts in the first half (5-5), while each side saw one attempt in overtime before the Wildcats netted the game-winner with 2:22 left.

·         MacKinnon made four saves between the posts for the Hawks while Pesci came up with six for the Wildcats.

·         The Wildcats also held a slight, 6-5 advantage in corner kicks..

NEWS & NOTES:

·         Simms, a three-time America East All-Conference First Team honoree, netted his team-best sixth goal in the fourth minute against New Hampshire.

·         Playing in their ninth overtime game of the season, the Hawks have lost just twice in those contests, falling to 2-2-5 with Friday's setback.

·         Hartford drops to 13-16-5 in the all-time series with New Hampshire and has gone 1-3-2 against the Wildcats in the last six meetings.

UP NEXT:                                                                    
The Hawks conclude their 2015 regular-season slate at home against UMass Lowell on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Posting 5-2 and 1-0 wins over the River Hawks in the first two meetings, Hartford will look to extend its early string of success against the America East's newest member in the 7 p.m. kickoff. Prior to the start of the match, the Hawks will celebrate Senior Night, as Jhamie Hyde, Blake Jones, Anthony LoBello, Andrew Murry, Rohan Roye and Javoni Simms will be playing on their home turn of Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium for the final time during the regular season.