“Really happy to get a win tonight with the rainy conditions,” said head coach Trevor Gorman. “If you looked at the score line you would think it was easy, but I thought Hartwick played very well. It ended up being a game where both teams had a lot of chances, and I’m proud of the way our guys were able to take theirs. We were efficient, and now we’re ready to focus on conference play.”
Neither team put together much of an offensive stand in the first 20 minutes, battling with the rain
and wind. But in the 22nd minute, Pinheiro was brought down in the 18-yard box, prompting a penalty kick for UAlbany’s leading scorer. The sophomore stepped up to bury the opportunity and give the Purple & Gold a 1-0 lead.
Despite earning two corner kicks after going down by a goal, Hartwick could not connect in front of the goal. The Hawks advanced through the midfield late in the half only to be stopped by the Dane defense short of goal-scoring territory.
The best first-half opportunity for Hartwick came off of a set piece 20 yards out. Mike Rood put a shot on net, but Eric Orologio battled through the six-yard box crowd to make the grab.
Late in the half, Jake Barros cut back on his defender 12 yards from goal. The sophomore fired low and on-target, but his attempt curled right of the near post. He followed up his solo shot with a one-on-one with Hawks goalkeeper Lenny Wilson, but Wilson slid in for the save.
The teams would double up on their shot total from the first half in the final 45 minutes from nine to 18. Hartwick came out with the early momentum, but Pinheiro and Nico Solabarrieta mounted a UAlbany attack mid-way through the half.
As the Danes earned more and more looks on net, Jake Barros finally broke through in the 77th minute. Pedro Espindola launched a pass from midfield to the lower left corner of the Hartwick end. Wilson came off his line in an attempt to intercept the pass, but Barros nudged the ball enough to roll across the goal line, good for his first goal of the season.
Pinheiro re-entered the game for Barros following his goal, and quickly got to work up front. On a scramble for the ball at nearly midfield, Philip Persson placed a one-touch pass in front of Pinheiro. The sophomore ran on to the pass and fired left-footed into the upper left corner for a 3-0 lead in the 83rd minute.
UAlbany has shut out its opponents in all five of its victories this season. Orologio earns his third clean sheet. Hartwick managed just three shots on goal.
With his seventh goal of the season against the Hawks, Afonso Pinheiro has already matched his goal total from his 2014 rookie campaign.
UAlbany men’s soccer (5-3-1) takes its talents to Stony Brook (3-4-2) on Saturday for the America East opener.
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