HAMBURG, N.Y.  – The Hilbert Men's Soccer team was up for the challenge today as they battled a winless AMCC opponent who had nothing to lose but were impressing in defeat.

Hilbert captured a hard-fought 4-2 victory over La Roche University, beating the Redhawks for only the second time since Hilbert joined the AMCC league in 2004.

Hector Harris earned his first hat-trick of his Hilbert career while the Hawks outshot La Roche 23-14 on the day.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hilbert 4  |  La Roche 2
• Location:  Hawks Nest  | Hamburg, NY
• Records:   Hilbert 5-6-2, 2-2-0 AMCC  I  La Roche  0-11-1, 0-4-0 AMCC

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• La Roche took the field with purpose and set the pace of the game early.  They spent most of their time with the ball on the attacking half of the field, aggressively pushing forward.
• At 17:39, after multiple tussles on the field, La Roche received the game's first card, a red, and was forced to play man-down the rest of the way.
• Beckham Blair carried the ball down the right sideline and bent the ball to the center of the box where Chris Smith stretched awkwardly forward to strike the ball past the Redhawk keeper in the 33rd minute.
• The Hawks held a 1-nill lead until Tyler Bryan's shot at the 40 was wind-aided over Logan Peck's outstretched hands and skimmed the bottom of the cross bar to the back of the net at 48:31.
• Harris entered the game in the second half in the 60th minute and soon after notched his first unassisted goal of the game.
• Harris beat the back line to a long ball and carried it 1 v 1 vs the Redhawk goalie to post his second of the game at 68:14.
• Hilbert was called for tripping in the box which led to their PK goal in the 73rd minute but Harris responded seven minutes later by carrying the ball through three defenders and delivering a hard shot off the outside of his right foot for the game's final goal.

GAME NOTES

• Hilbert's defensive was outstanding all game.  Hunter Holler, Reese Tomporowski, Aurelien Ruaudel and Ed Brust held their ground and broke up plays.
• Jason Vullo attempted two shots and battled all afternoon with La Roche defense, while Carter Burke kept the transition progressing with two shots on goal.
• Chris Smith matched Harris' attack with five shots today and Logan Peck was credited with six saves.

UP NEXT

The Hawks hit the road for their biggest AMCC game of the season Wednesday night.  Hilbert travels to Erie, Pa. for a 7 pm AMCC game against the 3-0-1 Penn State Behrend Lions.