WORCESTER, Mass. – The Hartford men's soccer team battled strong, but the Hawks comeback effort fell short, 4-2, at Holy Cross this evening. The Crusaders took a 2-0 lead before the Hawks fought back, leveling the score at 2-2. Senior back Demario Cameron and freshman midfielder Nicholas Castrovinci scored the goals for the Hawks. With the result, the Hawks move to 0-6 on the season while the Crusaders improve to 3-3.
 
HOLY CROSS 4, HARTFORD 2
Holy Cross piled on the pressure early, forcing Rotem Fadida into making a diving stop to the bottom left corner, keeping the Crusaders off the board. The hosts would continue to generate chances, but the Hartford defense stood firm, denying Holy Cross from taking the lead. Fadida would be called into action again in the 18th minute, making another great stop to his right to keep the game scoreless. Hartford would then go on the attack, as Jordon May broke through the Holy Cross backline, but his first-time effort missed just wide of the post.
 
Holy Cross would have one more opportunity to open the scoring late in the first half, being given a penalty kick after a Hartford handball inside the box. Jake Williams would step up to take the kick, but Fadida produced a world-class save, diving to his right and stopping William's penalty kick to keep the Crusaders off the board. The match would enter the halftime break scoreless, 0-0.
 
The Crusaders would strike first in the second half, scoring twice within five minutes to take a 2-0 lead in the 55th minute. The Hawks would fight back though, earning a penalty kick of their own in the 67th minute after Nate Becher was fouled inside the box. Cameron would step up, sending the Holy Cross keeper the wrong way, netting the Hawks first goal of the year and cutting the gap to 2-1. Hartford would continue to pile on the pressure and were rewarded for their efforts in the 72nd minute. After a brilliant counter attacked, Becher and Alex Quinones worked a ball into the path of Castrovinci, who spun around his defender and rifled the ball into the back of the net, knotting the score at 2-2.
 
However, Holy Cross would find the back of the net again in the 80th minute, retaking the lead, 3-2, before adding a fourth in the closing minutes, taking home a 4-2 win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• Cameron and Castrovinci scored their first goals of the season
• Castrovinci's goal was his first as a Hawk
• The goal was the second of Cameron's career at Hartford
• Quinones and Becher picked up their first assists of the year
• Fadida finished with six saves on the day

NEXT ON TAP
Hartford returns home for its final contest at Al-Marzook Field on Saturday, September 17, taking on Stonehill. Kickoff against the Skyhawks is set for 3 p.m. For more information on the Hartford men's soccer team, stay with HartfordHawks.com for updates and follow the team on social media (Twitter | Instagram).