VIEW COMPLETE CONFERENCE RELEASE (PDF)
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Media Contact: Randy Lieberman (504-556-0872 or lieberman@sunbeltsports.org)
Hartwick, Howard Earn Weekly Honors Following Key Conference Victories
NEW ORLEANS – The Hartwick Hawks and Howard Bison sit tied atop the Sun Belt Conference men’s soccer standings following two weekends of conference action. Leading the Bison and Hawks to key victories on the weekend were Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week Kyle Celestine and Co-Defensive Players of the Week Eric Hamilton (Howard) and Tom Buckner (Hartwick).
The Bison notched a 2-1 win at Georgia Southern over the weekend led by the freshman Celestine’s two goals. Hamilton, a senior, earned the win in net as the Bison vaulted to the top of the Sun Belt standings with a total of four points. The win against the Eagles capped a successful week for the Bison who earned a 1-0 win at Pittsburgh on Tuesday to earn the Sun Belt’s first men’s soccer victory against an opponent from the ACC in conference history.
Buckner earned the clean sheet in Hartwick’s 1-0 win against former conference leader NJIT on Saturday. After a 1-1 tie against Appalachian State, Hartwick tied Howard with four points atop the standings following the win on Saturday.
Celestine became the first Bison player to record a multi-goal game. He scored two goals in Howard’s first ever Sun Belt victory, a 2-1 win at Georgia Southern. Celestine’s goals came in the second half with Howard facing a 1-0 deficit. He also played well in Howard’s first win of the season, a 1-0 double overtime victory over ACC member Pittsburgh. Celestine, a freshman forward, is the current team leader in goals and points.
Hamilton made 15 saves with a .938 save percentage and 0.46 GAA while playing all of a regulation win and close double OT victory last week. He is currently the national leader in total saves and saves per game. He played 104:09 and made eight saves including several off point-blank shots. He did not allow a goal in Howard’s 2OT win over ACC member Pittsburgh. He made seven saves while playing all 90 minutes of a 2-1 win over Georgia Southern, the program’s first ever Sun Belt win.
Buckner made three stops to earn the clean sheet in a 1-0 shutout of NJIT. The win was Hartwick’s first ever Sun Belt victory. Buckner made a key save in the second half as a glancing header from Highlanders forward Joshua Mercer off a cross forced a diving, point-blank stop. Buckner also earned an assist on the game’s lone goal following a long punt into the NJIT end.
The 2014 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Championship gets under way on Thursday, Nov. 13. The 2014 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Championship match is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 13, at 1:00 p.m. CT and will be available for viewing on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. All matches can be watched live on www.sunbeltsports.org. The web stream for the entire tournament is provided at no charge.
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Sun Belt Conference Weekly News and Notes (Week 8)
WEEK 8 SUN BELT CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kyle Celestine (Howard, Forward, Freshman)
First Bison player with a multi-goal game – scored two goals in Howard’s first ever Sun Belt victory (2-1 at Ga. Southern). Goals came in the second half with Howard facing a 1-0 deficit. Also played well in Howard’s first win of the season, a 1-0 double overtime victory over ACC member Pittsburgh; current team leader in goals and points.
WEEK 8 SUN BELT CONFERENCE CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Eric Hamilton (Howard, Senior, Goalkeeper)
Made 15 saves with a .938 save percentage and 0.46 GAA while playing all of a regulation win and close double OT victory; is currently the national leader in total saves and saves per game. Played 104:09 and made eight saves – including several off point-blank shots – and did not allow a goal in Howard’s 2OT win over ACC member Pittsburgh; Made 7 saves while playing all 90 minutes of a 2-1 win over Georgia Southern – the program’s first ever Sun Belt win.
WEEK 8 SUN BELT CONFERENCE CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tom Buckner (Hartwick, Redshirt Junior, Goalkeeper)
Buckner made three stops to earn the clean sheet in a 1-0 shutout of NJIT. The win was Hartwick’s first ever Sun Belt victory. Buckner made a key save in the second half as a glancing header from Highlanders forward Joshua Mercer off a cross forced a diving, point-blank stop. Buckner also earned an assist on the game’s lone goal following a long punt into the NJIT end.
RECENT RESULTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14
Howard 1, Pittsburgh 0
North Carolina 4, Georgia State 0
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
NJIT 1, Central Connecticut State 1 (2 OT)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
Hartwick 1, NJIT 0*
Georgia State 1, Appalachian State 0 (OT)*
Howard 2, Georgia Southern 1*
UPCOMING MATCHES
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Jacksonville at Georgia State 6:00 PM
Hartwick at Colgate 6:00 PM
Howard at Wake Forest 6:00 PM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22
NJIT at UMass Lowell 6:00 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
Howard at NJIT* 4:00 PM
Georgia Southern at Appalachian State* 6:00 PM
Hartwick at Georgia State 6:00 PM
* - Indicates Sun Belt Conference match
(All Times CT)