GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College soccer team defeated Hamilton College 1-0 this afternoon on Cozzens Field, in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament. The Statesmen improve to 13-3-2 overall, while the Continentals drop to 9-5-1 on the season.
With the win, second-seeded Hobart advances to the Liberty League Tournament Championship, to be hosted on Nov. 7 by the highest remaining seed. Top-seeded Rensselaer will host No. 4 Union in the other first round match tomorrow, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. The Statesmen will await the result to find out if they will host the championship game or travel to Troy.
After a scoreless first half, Hobart finally broke through with the only goal of the match in the 55th minute. Sophomore
Tony Yeboah broke free from the Hamilton defense, carried the ball up the right side of the field with little pressure, and crossed the ball to junior
Kevin McCarthy who was streaking up the middle for a one-on-one shot with Continental goalie Eric Boole. McCarthy took the shot from about 16 yards out, placing it just under the crossbar and over the head of Boole.
Hamilton’s best chances to tie the game came in the final minute of regulation. The Continentals earned two corner kicks in the final minute, and both times got a shot on goal. The first shot was a stopped by first-year Statesman
Will Abbott, who was guarding the right post. The second attempt was stopped short by a diving save from Hobart sophomore goalie
Charlie Hale.
The Statesmen outshot Hamilton 16-8 overall, while the Continentals held an 8-2 edge in corner kicks.
Hale finished with two saves en route to his ninth shutout of the year, while Boole collected seven stops for Hamilton.