The Hartford Hawks Men’s Basketball team began their season with a bang as they took their talents to New Britain, CT to face Central Connecticut State in the Connecticut 6 Classic on Nov. 13, 2015

Arriving at a packed house of nearly 2500 fans, the Hawks came out looking to make a statement in their first game of the regular season.

The Central Blue Devils were the first to put points on the board but, senior guard, Taylor Dyson answered right back with a three pointer to let everyone know that Hartford was not going to back down.

The scoring went back and forth early on in the half until, redshirt junior, Jalen Ross was able to sink a couple baskets and push the lead in the Hawks’ favor.

Junior Justin Graham would then hit a three pointer to give the Hawks the largest lead in the half between either teams, at five.

Junior guard, Pancake Thomas followed up with a few points of his own, while Graham netted a pair of free throws to help maintain the lead of 30-27 at the end of the half.

As the second half began, Hartford came out the gates firing and a host of Hawks saw action. Freshman J.R. Lynch knocked down a three, while sophomore John Carroll responded with a layup of his own.

Freshman George Blagojevic helped lead a 13-2 run for the Hawks, in his college debut, as they raised the score 50-37.

The Blue Devils were able to cut the lead down to just 55-51. However, the Hawks would then go up 13 after consecutive threes by Blagojevic, Dyson and Lynch, respectively.

CCSU then stepped their defense up, got their offense together and went on a run to come back and tie with Hawks with just 11.1 seconds left in regulation.

As time was running down, Thomas had a chance to win the game, right before his three point attempt rimmed out at the end of regulation, sending the men to overtime.

In overtime, the Hawks got the first points as Carroll sank both of his free throws to give the Hawks an early lead.

However, CCSU would answer with a three pointer at the end of the shot clock buzzer to go up 72-71.

Dyson and Graham came back with a two point and three pointer, respectively but the Blue Devils continued to follow right back with answers.

Tying the game again at 73 and heading into a second overtime.

In the second overtime, things would finally work out for the better, as the Hawks were able to score offensively and closeout the game.

Graham and Ross was key in pushing the Hawks over the hump on 2OT as their scoring helped propel the team to victory.

Dyson and Graham would convert their free throws as time winded down before Thomas sealed the win two free throws of his own. The Hawks won the game 92-83 and picked up their first victory of the season.

The Hawks had five players finish the game with 14 or more points with Taylor Dyson leading the charge with 17. This would be just the momentum the Hawks needed as they prepared to take on St. Louis.

The road trip continued for the Hawks, as the Billikens of St. Louis were next on the schedule.

After getting their first win of the season, the Hawks were sure to get on their feet and off to another good start in the game.

Hartford however, was off to a slow start that never really caught on pace throughout the game.

St. Louis held the upper hand through most of the first half and gave them the lead 37-32 heading into the half.

Hartford was only down by 5, and would continue to get everyone involved in order to come out on top.

The second half was underway and Hartford drilled a three by Dyson with its first shot.

Things never really fell into place after that as St. Louis ran away with the game, posting a 12-point lead before ultimately sinking the Hawks 85-68 in the end.

The Hawks were able to play all 14 members who made the trip, including freshman Trevaughn Wilkerson who made his collegiate debut.

Pancake Thomas lead the way scoring for the Hawks with his career high 15 points.

The next opponent on the Hawks’ agenda would the Louisville Cardinals.

Hartford traveled to Kentucky to a jam-packed arena of nearly 19,000 fans.

The Cardinals, who won the National Championship in 2013, were too much for the Hawks as they dominated throughout the game.

The Hawks did not shy away in the game at all as they were down only 45-31 at the half.

The second half however, would be too much for the Hawks as Louisville pushed their lead to 30 points before domination inside and closing the game out 87-52.

Pancake Thomas was the high man for the Hawks as he reached a new career high of 20 points, while seven other Hawks posted points of their own.

This would prove to be one of Hartford’s hardest contests of the season, yet one they still can take away many positives from.

With the tough road matchups behind them, things are surely looking up for the new-look Hawks. Their road trip continues as they take on St. Peters on Thurs. Nov. 19, 2015

After a rocky season last year, the Hawks Women’s basketball team looks to turn things around and get back to their winning tradition.

With a lot of young talent and a limitless ceiling, the women are ready to showcase their resurgence this season.

The Hawks first contest of the season was at home against Cornell on Nov. 13, 2015.

Both teams came out the gate with a slow start, but it would be Hartford who gained the upper hand as they lead an 8-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter Cornell would equal out the scoring with Hartford as they pushed an 18-16 run against the Hawks.

Both teams would head into the half tied at 24.

Juniors Deanna Mayza and La’Trice Hall, along with sophomore forward Darby Lee, helped set the pace for the Hawks in the first half.

Coming into the second half, Cornell led a 16-14 surge to take the lead 40-38 at the end of the third quarter. Junior Katelyn Skinner helped close the gap for the Hawks as she sank a three pointer to bring the Hawks within 1 point.

Down only two points by the end of the third, the Hawks were still in position to take over the game.

The fourth quarter opened up, and Mayza opened up scoring with a three pointer, giving the Hawks their first lead of the second half at 41-40.

Hall and junior Alyssa Reaves helped regulate the coring for the Hawks in the final quarter as they both sank 10 footers as time came winding down.

Cornell came back to tie the game up, but it would be Mayza, who sank up the game winning triple against Cornell last year, to repeat the same feat again.

Mayza drained a three pointer with just 10 seconds left on the clock to propel the Hawks to a 53-50 victory over Cornell, and their first win of the season.

Mayza finished the game with a high of 17, while Lee contributed with 10 and seven rebounds. Hall also made solid contributions as she logged seven points, four assists, and seven rebounds for the Hawks.

The Hawks would look to add another win to their record as they traveled to Fairfield, CT to face the Pioneers of Sacred Heart.

The first quarter was underway and Sacred Heart made the first strike as they converted an easy layup.

Hartford would then go on a 9-0 run, driven by four different Hawks.

The Hawks would then go cold and miss two of their 11 shots, clearing a path for Sacred Heart to go on a 9-0 run of their own to gain a two point lead.

The second quarter gave the Hawks a little bit of pace as Katelyn Skinner sank a three to put the Hawks up by two.

The Pioneers would go on another run, followed by the Hawks going back and forth with buckets, led by Mayza, ultimately giving the Hawks the one point advantage at the half, 28-27.

The second half kicked off and the Hawks held their own against the Pioneers. Sacred Heart would then send an array of three pointers at the Hawks, sinking three within two minutes.

Sacred Heart was up 42-38, until Skinner netted a three pointer of her own and set up and 8-0 run for the Hawks.

This led the Hawks to close out the third quarter, up by one at 47-46. The fourth quarter was exactly what the Hawks needed as they came out storming to a 10-2 run, pushing the lead up to nine points.

Sacred Heart fought their way back into the game, trailing only by five with two minutes left in the game.

Mayza sent home a layup that would push the Hawks back up to seven points, with only 56 second left.

Sacred Heart created a string of plays to cut the deficit to only two after a three point shot and go-ahead layup off a steal, two seconds later.

The time slowly wore down as the Hawks were sent to the free-throw line, where Mayza converted on both shots.

Sacred Heart would answer with another layup with just 6.4 on the clock, to trail only by two, before sending Mayza to the line again where she converted two more free throws.

The Hawks were up by four, when Sacred Heart heaved a last second three-point attempt that banked in.

However, this was not enough as the Hawks claimed the game 68-67, gaining their second consecutive win.

Three Hawks finished in double digit scoring as Mayza led the game with 19 points and six assists and Reaves finished with 13 points.

Hall recorded her first career double-double, at 13 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Hawks win the second-chance scoring battle.

The Hawks will look to add a third consecutive win as they face Quinnipiac on Thurs. Nov. 19, 2015 at 11a.m which would be a great start to the women’s basketball season.

The Hartford Hawks men’s soccer team came out ready to grab their first set of consecutive wins on the season after their strong home stand against Iona.

This time, the Hawks would be back on the road to take on the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut State University on Sept. 23.

All season long, the Hawks have been able to flex their muscle and lead control of games with their dominant shot advantage, possession time and all-around defense.

This would be the same style of play to rely on against CCSU.

In the first half, the Hawks put the first points on the board as senior Javoni Simms darted a shot through traffic that landed in the back of the net.

Junior teammate Brian Richards set up the play as he landed the assist to Simms, giving him his fifth goal on the season and No. 25 of his career.

The Blue Devils weren’t going to back down easily, as they left their mark right before the first half would conclude.

With just 15 seconds left in the half, CCSU was able to score off a rebound setup by a corner kick.

This would send the Hawks into halftime with a mission to regroup and attack the same way they have done all season.

Without any hesitation, the team did just that as they were seeing their next scoring opportunity just 28 seconds into the half.

Senior Jhamie Hyde was granted a penalty kick and made the most of it as it sailed right through the goal.

This would ultimately be the game-winning shot for the Hawks as they took down the Blue Devils 2-1.

Hartford controlled the game as it led with a 13-8 shot advantage, and despite the one goal scored, junior goalkeeper David MacKinnon made one save and notched career victory No. 23.

This victory was just what the team was looking for as the Hawks set themselves up to make a serious run as the season moves on.

Seniors get local rivals all four years. #HawkNationDomination https://t.co/Rul4sl9VLA

— Tom Poitras (@HHawksSocCoach) September 24, 2015

After their successful road victory against CCSU, the Hawks looked to make it three wins in a row as they returned home on Sept. 27 to take on Saint Francis.

With much success in their recent games, the Hawks relied on a strong game plan to try and outmatch Saint Francis.

Throughout the first half, both teams were even keeled as neither could catch a break when it came to scoring.

Solid defense on both sides lead to the Hawks going into halftime scoreless.

From here, it was still anyone’s game to win as it was a fresh set of 45 minutes on the clock for any team to claim victory.

The Hawks were finally able to break free in the 62nd minute when freshman Andri Jonasson sent a strike through the goal as he capitalized on a missed attempt by freshman classmate Mikkel Song.

This would mark the first goal of the young forward’s career.

With solid defense to finish out the game, the Hawks would be able to cruise to victory.

Saint Francis, however, had other plans. In the 86th minute, as the game was closing to an end, the opposing team was able to connect through the goal on a header.

This would tie the game up at 1-1, and send the game into overtime.

In the extra minutes of overtime, both teams went right back into their first half playstyles as neither team could get it going offensively.

Without any significant looks, the match would then head into second overtime.

Defense was relentless, as both teams had nothing going for them, even in the second overtime.

The Hawks had their backs against the wall, searching for answers.

With just 48 seconds left of the second overtime, junior Jeff Tryon reached into his bag of tricks to score the game-winning header.

Seniors Rohan Roye and Anthony LoBello assisted on the play as they got the ball moving before dishing the ball off to Tryon where the Hawk claimed goal No. 12 on his career and the win for the team.

MSOC | It only takes a moment…. Jeff Tryon's diving header wins it for @HartfordMSOC with 46 seconds left in OT pic.twitter.com/BwDBSOvtK3

— America East (@AmericaEast) September 27, 2015

This would give the team their third straight win and improve their unbeaten home streak to 15 games.

Junior goalkeeper MacKinnon continues to move closer to the Hawks record books as he gained his 24th career win.

The Hawks’ momentum is limitless right now as they are playing some of their best ball of the season.

Their next game will be at home against UMBC on Oct. 3 as they begin America East Conference play.

UMBC is not only the team that Hartford was tied with as preseason favorites to the win the division, but also the team Hartford faced in the conference championships the last two seasons and the last team that the Hawks lost to at home. This upcoming game should truly be a thriller.

The University of Hartford men’s golf team looks for success as they proceed with the early stages of their season.

The team opened up play on Sept. 21, the first day of the Hartford Hawks Invitational, in South Kent, Connecticut at the Bull’s Bridge Golf Club, playing host to 20 teams in total.

The Hawks were able to put on a strong showing after day one of the invitational as they tied for sixth place.

The frontrunner of the team’s success was senior William Betts.

Betts finished one stroke under par at the conclusion of the first round, and shaved five strokes off of that score and carded a 66 over the final 18 holes. Ultimately, he totaled a score of 137 (-7). In addition, over the two rounds, Betts birdied nine times while recording one eagle on the day.

As a team, Hartford finished four strokes above par for a score of 580.

Junior Atle Ruden finished the day tied for 26th place. He finished five strokes above par after carding a 77 in the first round and a 70 in the second.

With a score of 148 (+4), freshman Sam McNulty tied for 31, while senior Evan Russell entered day two in 42nd place after combining to shoot 150 (+6).

Junior Matthew DePalma’s 155 over the two rounds gave him a ranking of No. 67 after day one.

The Hawks also had two individuals compete in the invitational.

Sophomore Lucas Sapin bettered his first round score of 77 by finishing two strokes below par in the second round. He closed the day with a score of 147 (+3).

Concluding the Hawks’ golfers is junior Jon Malloy, who recorded a 155 (+11) on the day.

The invitational picked up right where it left off as the team found its greatest success in the second round as it combined for the third-lowest score of that round at 285 strokes.

Three Hawks shot their lowest score during that stretch, including Betts, who carded a season-best 66.

McNulty, who tied for 21st place overall, turned in a score of 73 in each of his final two rounds to finish at 221 (+5) while Atle Ruden shot a 70 in the second round and finished the two-day event with a 229 (+13) for 51 place.

Senior Russell landed at 35th place with a score of 225 while DePalma tied for 65th with a score of 233 (+17).

A pair of Hawks competed in the invitational as individuals as Sapin totaled 223 (+7) points to finish in a tie for 29th place. Sapin also had an impressive showing in the second round, firing off a 70.

Rounding out the Hartford golfers was Jon Malloy, who combined for a score of 234 (+18) to finish tied for 69th place.

Betts took home fourth place honors on Tuesday afternoon as he led the team to a fourth place finish. Finishing six strokes under par for a score of 210, Betts has paced the Hawks in each of their two competitions this season.

The Hawks are surely off to a good start to their season as they finished four out of 15 in their first invitational and six out of 20 in their last outing.

There is much optimism and room to progress as the ceiling is limitless for the men’s golf team from here on out.

From the way that the men’s golf team has been playing they are looking like they are going to have a great season and they are poised for greatness. 

The University of Hartford’s men and women’s soccer teams were back in action this past week as the Hawks took on a busy schedule.

The men were up first in the line of duty, as they traveled to UMass on Sept. 16 to take on the Minutemen.

Both clubs came into the game with just one win on the season, giving both teams a fair shot at victory.

Hartford struck first as redshirt senior Rohan Roye netted the first goal at the 20-minute mark of the contest. This would mark his first goal of the season and sixth of his career.

Junior Brian Richards set up the beautiful assist to his teammate, allowing Hartford to hold the momentum of the game.

With tough defense, the Hawks hoped to coast to victory after the lone goal and lock another victory in.

However, in the 37th-minute, UMass retaliated with an attack of their own and tied the game at 1-1.

This left both teams at a stalemate going into the half.

Coming out of the half, it was equal opportunity for both teams as they started with a fresh set of minutes on the clock.

UMass, once again, was able to take possession as they netted another goal in the 64th-minute, which would end up being the game winner.

Although Hartford seemed to control the game with the opening score, a 17-11 shot advantage and eight shots in the closing minute, they were unable to take home the win.

The Hawks were able to bounce back quickly and find their rhythm again as they were slated to take on the Gaels of Iona.

This would mark Hartford’s first home game since its season opener after summing up a five-game road trip.

The men were ready to protect their house by any means necessary.

The Hawks came out flying as they led a 5-4 shot advantage in the first half. Both teams went on to play exceptional defense, holding each other scoreless in the first half.

Heading into the second half, the teams would regroup in an attempt to come out strong and finally put points on the board.

This was not the case, as the defense prevailed for both sides, forcing the end of regulation and bringing the game to overtime.

Each team entered the extra minutes searching for answers and new tactics, but it was only one who stood victorious.

In the 94th-minute, the Hawks took the game as senior Javoni Simms made the game-winning shot off an assist from Richards.

This would mark another shutout win for junior goalkeeper David MacKinnon, now at 18 career shutouts.

This extended Hartford’s undefeated home streak to 15 consecutive games in the last three seasons.

With their confidence high and victorious ways in motion, the Hawks take their game back on the road as they travel to CCSU to take on the Blue Devils on Sept. 23.

The Hawks’ women’s team was ready to build on their success of the season as they were set to face Yale on Sept. 17 at home.

The women were looking to keep their five-game streak alive and all signs pointed toward just that against the Bulldogs.

Hartford held the upper hand through most of the match as they owned a 19-11 shot advantage over Yale.

In the 39th-minute mark, redshirt junior Caroline Massey put the Hawks on the board, scoring the first strike of the contest. Massey was able to send a dart through the net on a blocked shot that was set up by senior teammate Sidney Spremullo.

This was enough to not only give the women the boost they needed, but also potentially the goal to seal the win.

Unfortunately, in just four short minutes after, Yale would answer and tie the contest right before the halftime mark.

The second half picked up and neither team seemed to have any luck after their first goals. The second half of regulation came to a close and the scoreboard still read 1-1.

This would present the Hawks with extra minutes in overtime.

Hartford kept their relentless attack in full effect, yet it still wasn’t enough to put more points on the board.

A second overtime was necessary in order to give the teams another fresh clock in an attempt to claim victory. Although Hartford led the shot advantage to 7-1 in both overtimes, Yale’s defense would remain unbreakable, ending the game in a 1-1 draw.

The goalkeepers were the playmakers of the game as junior Jessica Jurg tied her career high of four saves, while Yale’s goalkeeper blocked eight attempts.

This would be the first time Yale had not defeated Hartford in the last six meetings.

After their defensive home stand, the Hawks were back on the road, traveling to Staten Island to take on the Wagner Seahawks.

The Hawks had much to look forward to as they held five undefeated games under their belt and Wagner would not be the team to ruin that streak.

Hartford came in with no mercy as redshirt junior Massey put the first points on the board in just a hundred seconds into the match. This would be her third goal in just as many games for the Hawks.

The women kept the attack coming as they overpowered Wagner in a 16-7 shot advantage for the game.

The Hawks applied tough defense and a ferocious attack, which was enough to leave them sitting comfortably with a 1-0 lead.

Ultimately, this would be another win for Hartford and extend their current unbeaten streak to six games, matching the same mark set in 2012.

Out of the six games, five of them had been shutout scores, led by goalkeeper Jurg as she holds 19 career shutouts to her list of accolades.

The women will look to make the win streak seven as they head to New Jersey on Sept. 24 to play Fairleigh Dickinson.

It should be a tough battle for the Hawks, but they will look to win overall.

Former Hawks soar to new heights as they sign to play professional basketball overseas.

Two Hartford Hawks women’s basketball players recently signed to play professionally in Europe.

Diana Delva, a four-year player at Hartford from 2006–2010 and native of Stamford, Connecticut, will be joining Panathinaikos A.O. in Athens, Greece this season. She has played in Greece since the 2011 as a guard.

Over the last four seasons, she has averaged nearly 18 points and 10 rebounds per game, and was named the 2013 Eurobasket All-Greek League Player of the Year after leading her squad to a Greek League Championship. She also earned All Greek-League First Team selections in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Delva left Hartford ranked third on the all-time scoring list, totaling 1,403 points in her career.

She was the America East Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and initially signed a training camp contract with the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars after graduation.

She is surely no stranger to the professional ranks and definitely not a stranger to success in her career.

Cherelle Moore, another former standout and four-year player of Hartford from 2011–2015, will join Vega 1/Liepaja in Liepaja of Latvia this season, competing in the Baltic League.

Moore, who is also a Connecticut native coming from Bridgeport , came off a highly successful senior season with the Hawks this past year.

She was named to the America East All-Conference Team and led the Hawks in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, respectively. Moore finished the season on a tear, averaging 20 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the three-game America East Conference Tournament and was named an All-Tournament Selection.

NEWS: Former @HartfordWBB players Diana Delva and Cherelle Moore sign pro deals. http://t.co/7Uo8BFWCX4 pic.twitter.com/1HjgeX5Bwn

— Hartford Hawks (@HartfordHawks) September 16, 2015

With these two signings, this is now six professional players that Hartford head coach Jen Rizzotti has helped mentor in her time with the Hawks.

With the women finding success at the pro-levels, it is sure to believe that there will be more Hawks on the radar of professional teams.

The Hawks men’s basketball has something to brag about as former four-year playmaker Mark Nwakamma (2011–2015) signed professionally in Israel.

This is Hartford’s second member of the 2015 class to sign, and the signings came only a week apart.

Nwakamma was known as the team’s captain and a consistent hard worker in recent seasons.

If there was one thing guaranteed at a men’s basketball game, it was hearing Nwakamma’s name blasted throughout the arena of a tight game.

NEWS: Congrats to @HartfordMBB Player Mark Nwakamma on signing a pro contract! http://t.co/JoyeT3b2cT pic.twitter.com/KTytG4DI9h

— Hartford Hawks (@HartfordHawks) September 16, 2015

The native of Leander, Texas was named to the America East All-Conference First Team in both 2012–13 and 2013–14 and served as a co-captain for the Hawks in each of his final three seasons.

He became the first player in program history to earn First Team All-America East honors twice in his career and wrapped up his career for Hartford with 1,550 points, the fifth-most in the Division I era for the Hawks. His 630 career rebounds are the sixth-most in Hartford’s time as a Division I school.

Head coach John Gallagher had nothing but praise for his former player as he let it known just how much it means to both of them.

“I’m so thrilled for Mark. He is one of the greatest players we have had in my time here, but he may be an even greater person off the court,” Gallagher said. He deserves this opportunity, and I know the fans in Israel will be so excited with what he brings both to the team and to the community.”

The men now have a positive season to look up to as two players from just last year’s team have gone on to sign professionally.

Former University of Hartford Basketball standout Corban Wroe scored big as he signed with the Perth Wildcats.

The Wildcats are a professional team of Australia where they play in the National Basketball League (NBL) and were league champions of the 2014 season. He signs as a developmental player who trains with the team throughout the season. At each home game, two developmental players are selected to play with the team.

Wroe, a four-year player at Hartford, and member of last year’s leading six seniors, is a 6-foot-2 shooting guard and defensive specialist. He was a three-year captain for the Hawks, who displayed amazing work ethic and developed a lethal shot from 3-point range by the time he reached his final season.

After converting only 33 shots from long range in his first three seasons, Wroe went on the score 49 3-pointers in just his senior season alone.

He is the only player in the program’s history to win two America East All-Defense Team honors and cemented himself as a standout on the defensive side of the ball.

He finished last season with a team high 41 steals, along with 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 9.9 points a game.

The Perth Wildcats has signed Corban Wroe as a development player for 2015/16. More http://t.co/qdAINZFBym #RedArmy pic.twitter.com/CtqRmJ8ahO

— Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) September 4, 2015

What truly makes this milestone for Wroe so sweet is the fact that he is a native of Townsville, Australia. Now he will not only be playing for a professional team, but also playing at the high level of competition in his homeland.

Hartford Hawks basketball coach John Gallagher spoke about his former player and said, “Corban prides himself on making programs better. I know he will do this for the heralded Perth Wildcats in the NBL. The toughness and grit Corban showed every night in college will now be on display in Australia’s most elite pro league.”

There is much reason to speak so highly of Wroe and his work ethic as he is packaged with accolades throughout his basketball career.

Earning America East All-Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll laurels all four years for achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, he became the second player in program history to earn repeat America East All-Academic Team honors.

Wroe also capped off his career by becoming Hartford’s first-ever repeat Division I AAA Scholar-Athlete Team member, as he received the accolade in both 2014 and 2015.

Wroe graduated this past May, earning his health science degree from the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions.

Wroe returned to Australia after graduating and then soon started playing for the Townsville Heat of the Queensland Basketball League.

In eight games, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

With numbers like that already, he is on a road to succes.

They aren’t the highest numbers to put up, but this shows there is more room for improvement. This goes to show that if one works hard, anybody can make it.

Who knows? Wroe can do so well in the NBL that he may get looked at in the NBA.

As the season continues on throughout the weeks, the Hartford Hawks men’s and women’s soccer teams proceed to find their rhythm and leave Hawk Nation standing proud. Adding to their booming success in recent weeks, the Hawks Women’s soccer team took their first, and only loss in their second game, and haven’t looked back since.

After coming off a victory in an overtime thriller against Sacred Heart, the women were poised to defend their home turf once again.

The Highlanders of NJIT traveled to West Hartford on September 10, set on handing the Hawks their second loss.

However, the Hawks knew that wasn’t the case as they came ready to attack as usual. Hartford controlled the entire game as they held a 29-6 shot advantage over NJIT.

With numerous attempts from the Hawks however, none of the 12 on-target shots were able to connect.

It wasn’t until the 77 minute that women were able to secure possession of the game. One of the Highlanders’ players was unable to make a play on the ball, kicking it into their own goal, ultimately leading the Hawks on to victory.

NJIT was not able to capitalize on their crucial mistake, and the Hawks left victorious once again. Not to be outdone by the mishap of the opposing team, it was the defense that stood out as junior goalkeeper Jessica Jurg created another shutout performance, increasing the total to 17 in her career.

Just three short days later, the women were set for action again at home, this time against the Bryant Bulldogs. In this game, the Hawks truly dominated on all cylinders, leaving Bryant with no chance.

It was a scoring frenzy as the Hawks were having fun coasting to a 5-0 victory. Freshmen Juila Carr and Ashley Claud put the first two points on the board, respectively.

Redshirt junior Caroline Massey and juniors Tori Tripp and Aaliyah Ingram topped of the victory as each scored goals in the massive attack by the Hawks.

Jessica Jurg tallied her 18 career shutout, and the Hawks have won 4 straight since their only loss. The women look to continue the home stand action as they play Yale on September 17 at Al-Marzook field.

After coming off three games without falling to defeat, the Hartford Hawks Men’s Soccer team traveled to Virginia on September 11 to face the Rams of VCU.

The Hawks have had hard fought efforts, resulting in battles in each of their games. This would remain true as they took on VCU in another contest that would test their character.

It was a physical contest to say the least, as both teams totaled four yellow cards a piece and 35 total fouls.

Hartford had the slight edge over the Rams holding an 11-10 shot advantage.

However, it was VCU who capitalized and marched on to a 2-0 victory.

Despite junior goalkeeper David Mackinnon’s four saves, VCU put up a season high two goals on the Hawks and handed the team their first defeat of the season.

The Hawks had to keep their heads up and confidence high, as the competition would only get tougher in their next game.

Staying in Virginia, on September 13, the Hawks were slated to take on the number 22 ranked school in the nation, Old Dominion.

Fresh off of their first loss, and only room to look up, the Hawks were prepared to give everything they had.

Without missing a beat of composure, the Hawks struck first in the 28 minute, when junior Jeff Tryon scored the game’s first goal.

The team had reason to be proud as they led going into the half against the no. 22 ranked school.

Coming out of the half however, Old Dominion found their game as they went on to score two goals in the 59 and 62 minute, putting the team up 2-1.

The Hawks refused to stand inferior as junior Jovanni Sims tied up the game and kept the Hawks alive and forcing overtime.

Ultimately, it was goalkeeper David MacKinnon’s saving effort that kept Old Dominion from scoring and allowing the game to go to a second overtime.

The Hawks stood strong, facing such a formidable team, yet understanding it was still anyone’s game to win.

Through the outstanding showing, the Hawks would fall to Old Dominion in the second overtime as they gave up a goal and received their 2 loss of the season.

This however, showed the team that even against a top ranked opponent, they were able to not only hold their own, but very well be able to win the match.

Holding onto that positive mindset, the Hawks will play their next game at UMass on September 16.

The University of Hartford Women’s Soccer team is very familiar with being recognized as formidable contenders.

After winning the America East regular season title last year, and reaching the conference finals twice in the last three years, the Hawks are predicted to finish second, based on preseason projections, standing behind only to New Hampshire, who claimed the title last year.

John Natale leads the team in his 12 year as head coach, while he holds on to nine returning athletes, four of which were All-Conference players, and nine newcomers to the club.

Without any hesitation, the Hawks asserted their dominance on August 23, in their season opener against Siena.

The team opened their season at home and fell right back into their winning ways. Siena tested the Hawks, but stood no chance as the home team went up 2-0 at the half.

Freshman midfielder Julia Carr made her impression on the game as she scored the first goal of the contest. Latching onto the momentum, junior Aaliyah Ingram netted a goal right before the halftime mark.

As the match resumed, Ingram connected with another dart through the goal in the 77 minute.

While leaving Siena on the negative end of a scoring frenzy, the Hawks were not finished. At the 88 minute, senior forward Erica Primovic put the icing on the cake, scoring another goal and pushing the lead to a superior 4-0. Siena went on to put up one goal, however nothing would be enough to stop the Hawks relentless dominance.

Ingram and Carr were named America East Co-Players of the Week after their season opening performance.

With much confidence to hold onto, the Hawks looked forward to their second outing of the season.

Another home stand was on the agenda, this time against Manhattan.

The Hawks controlled the game once again, holding a 21-3 shot advantage over Manhattan. However, they were searching for answers as the ball couldn’t find the net.

After holding possession of the match for most of its entirety, Manhattan managed to put up the only point of the game in the 77 minute. Even with all their energy and nonstop effort, the Hawks fell short and picked up the first loss of the season.

Although it was a tough defeat, it simply led the Hawks to move forward and get themselves back on track for their next game against Iona on September 3.

After taking their first loss of the season, despite having control of the game, the Hawks found the dominance they displayed in their season opener.

Unfortunately for Iona, they had to fall victim to the Hawks’ attack.

It wasn’t long before the Hawks put points on the board as junior forward Tori Tripp made a strike through the net in the 17 minute. Tripp, however, was not finished as she drilled another shot through the goal, putting the Hawks up 2-0 at the half. Things were certainly looking up for the Hawks and it would only get worse for Iona.

Tripp’s two goals were assisted by Aaliyah Ingram in the first half, and their chemistry remained present in the second half. Ingram went on to score a hat-trick, three goals all in the second half.

Tripp returned the earlier favor from Ingram, assisting on one of the three goals, as well as another assist to Juila Carr.

Senior forward Elise Galipo added to the sharing culture as she assisted one of Ingram’s goals also.

Accomplishing her second shutout of the season, junior Jessica Jurg went on to record three saves on the game.

The Hawks had every reason to enjoy this all-around team victory.

In just three short days after the shutout victory, the Hawks faced Sacred Heart on September 6.

This game was no easy task, as both teams found themselves desperate for answers throughout the game. Sacred Heart had control over the Hawks in the opening half, however, it was still anyone’s game to win.

Hartford stormed back with multiple opportunities, but nothing seemed to work in their favor.

Jessica Jurg kept the contest from slipping away as she defended each of Sacred Heart’s shots without them converting.

Through regulation both teams finished scoreless. Overtime would present another series of hard tested minutes for the Hawks. Just when everything seemed to be at a standstill, it was Julia Carr who cashed in on the winning goal in overtime, off an assist from Elise Galipo.

This marked Carr’s third goal of the season third goal in the four games the Hawks have played. Jurg added another shutout victory to her resume as she made an astonishing four saves on the day.

With the recognition of what they’re capable of and the high energy they bring every game, it is easy to believe that there isn’t much that can stop the Hawks.

They hope to find their fourth win on September 10th, at home against NJIT.

There is no other expecatation from the women’s team other than to dominate the competition.

The Hartford Hawks women’s volleyball team looks to come into this season with a full head of steam.

After being predicted to finish sixth in the America East preseason poll by the coaches, the Hawks’ have the opportunity to soar higher than ever.

First-year head coach Mitch Kallick, along with nine returning student-athletes, give the team a chance to build upon their recent success of last season as they finished with a record of 17-13. Head coach Kallick can surely make the winning culture a staple for the volleyball team as he brings more than 12 years of coaching experience to the table.

The Hawks were able to secure a season-opening game at home for the first time since the 2007 season.

On Aug. 28, with much optimism looking to defend their home court, the Hawks displayed a high sense of confidence.

However, this would present the first challenge for the Hawks’ season and head coach Kallick’s Hartford debut, as it was the beginning of the UConn tournament. The Hawks’ first three games would all be part of the tournament as they looked for success in the interconference matchups.

Their first opponent, was the team whose name had the respected title of the tournament, the UConn Huskies.

The Hawks came out swinging and gave up fight the entire way through. Although falling 0-3 in the game, throughout the contest, the Hawks came back fighting as each set progressed on. Their first set ended in a 25-12 defeat, but the team came back with all their might before losing the third set to an extremely close 25-23 outcome.

Freshman Paulina Modestow left her mark on the game, recording a team-high, nine kills, while her teammate, junior Alyse Wenzel went on to record a career-high, three blocks in the game.

Although the final outcome is not what the team had hoped for, the last set was momentous enough for the Hawks to segway into their next game later that day.

Continuing with the UConn tournament, the Hawks had another interconference matchup later on in the evening against the Syracuse Orange.

Already fresh off their battle against the Huskies, the Hawks were ready to put up another tough competition against Syracuse. Holding onto the momentum of their game earlier in the day, the Hawks were able to go back and forth with the Orange, early in the first set, before reaching a stalemate of eight points for both teams.

Adding on to her impressive presence in the UConn game, Modestow added another seven kills.

Sophomore Astrid Mangual led the Hawks with a new career-high 16 assists while her teammates sophomore Katy Henchy and junior Rachel Moll had five kills apiece.

Paola Llerandi was the only player between either team, to post double digit figures in digs as she had 10 for the game.

Although the team was able to land a few more points, the Syracuse Orange remained relentless as they went on to take down the Hawks on each of their three sets.

This left the volleyball team leaving the series searching for new approaches and adjustments in order to find their way to victory for the remainder of the tournament.

Hartford’s closing game of the tournament took place on the UConn campus in Storrs, as the Hawks went onto play against the Rhode Island Rams. This would be the one of the true tests of Hartford’s strength as this was the closest contest of the three games.

In the opening set, the Rams came out to an 8-0 lead.

This was not enough to shake the Hawks as they came back from the deficit with a 14-13 score trailing only by one. Although ultimately losing the set to a score of 25-19, fifth-year player Kathryn Gawrych, recorded a team-high, six blocks in just the opening set.

The Hawks were once again, unable to find victory in their next two sets, but did finish the game off on a set score of 25-20.

This concluded the Hawks’ run in the UConn tournament and now allows them to proceed to progress.

What an outstanding crowd for @HartfordVball tonight! #HawkNationDomination pic.twitter.com/J39pWxM5Vr

— Hartford Hawks (@HartfordHawks) September 3, 2015

With some of their toughest matches behind them, and the ability to grow from their outcome, things can only be looking up for the Hawks as they continue the season.

All of Hawk Nation will continue to support the women’s volleyball team regardless of how bad they are doing.

Be sure to catch their next game away during a tournament not to far away from UHart. The tournament is scheduled to be played on Sept. 4 at Sacred Heart where they will play against, Brown, Sacred Heart and Bucknell.

Be sure to go out and support our Hawks.