The *hated* Hartwick Hawks make the draining trip from upstate NY to The Mack for the most important match of the season (Saturday night) for the Hawks and the Apps. The Hawks, so far, are having a down season for them. They are 4-6-2, 0-1-0 SBC and a loss would drop them like a rock almost to the bottom of the #Fun Belt. They already have a home loss to CCU on their tab. Another loss would be a dagger to the heart.

The Apps 4-5-3, 0-0-1 SBC, on the other hand, are in the catbird's seat. With a win, the Apps vault toward the top the league. Even with a tie, the Apps hold an advantage over Hartwick, because the Hawks still have that CCU loss hanging around their necks like the proverbial albatross. An App Srare loss to the Hawks would leave both teams in a tie in Sun Belt play.

Make no mistake, these two teams do not like each other. The Hawks lead the young series 4-1-2. In the seven matches between the two teams, The Apps have endured 2 double-overtime ties and three losses by a one-goal margin in each. The most difficult loss for the Apps to stomach was a late goal in regulation time giving the Hawks a 1-0 win in a physical battle in the 2015 Sun Belt Semis at the Mack. The Apps were denied a slot in the conference championship game on their home pitch by a lucky Hartwick roll-in goal in the final minutes of a war. In some ways, the Apps have never really recovered from that loss.

Saturday gives the Apps an opportunity to get their swagger back--but it won't come easy. These two teams always draw blood.

Dreadful, dreadful performance. 1 goal in 6 games.

Apppstate wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 14, 2017 9:19 pm

Dreadful, dreadful performance. 1 goal in 6 games.

Nine (9) goals in thirteen (13) matches looks/sounds no better. Not going to get better until Coach O'Keefe gets the resources to recruit in western and central Europe.

I seem to remember some Nigerians that played some pretty good soccer. Probably before most of the members here can recall. Maybe.