PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's men's soccer team took an early lead on Monday evening over Yale, but the Bulldogs rallied for three-straight goals en route to a 3-2 win over the Hawks in non-conference action on Sweeney Field.
 
St. Joe's falls to 3-6-1 on the season, while Yale improves to 4-3-1 on the year.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• A steady mist over the course of the game saw both teams slowly grow into the game, only one shot attempted over the first 26 minutes of play.
• Despite the slow start, the Hawks took advantage of their first attempt of the game to open the scoring on Sweeney Field. A precise corner from James Fletcher found the head of captain Alex Hartmann, who was able to loop his header over the defense and into the far netting to give St. Joe's a 1-0 lead.
• The goal opened the attacking play from both sides, but the hosts looked more likely to create the second after a few half chances eventually came to nothing. But despite the momentum, the Bulldogs were able to respond off a shock equalizer. After Trevor Jackson made an initial save on a shot outside of the box, the wet turf allowed the rebound to skid to Olivier Van Spaendonck who tapped in to the back of the net to level the scoring in the 43^rd minute.
• The momentum shifted to the visitors who made quick work in the early stages of the second half to take advantage of a strong start. A low driven cross needed a parry from Jackson to keep it from fizzing into a dangerous area, but Joseph Farouz needed little space to get first to the attempt and slide home his effort into the back of the net to help Yale take the 2-1 lead.
• The eventual game winner came just five minutes later in the 60^th minute, Max Rogers getting his second assist of the afternoon as a superb driven cross found the head of Alex Umana, the Bulldog attacker powering a header past the St. Joe's goalkeeper to increase the advantage to 3-1.
• As the misty conditions worsened, it seemed as if both teams were struggling to create attacking chances. But the Hawks were able to claw back into the contest as a well-weighted cross from Philipp Wujewitsch found its way to the back post where Alex Hood was waiting to head back to the far corner for his first goal of the season.
• The Hawks were unable to muster a final opportunity for an equalizer, Jackson the only keeper to be called into action over the final 10 minutes for his second of the evening as St. Joe's dropped the matchup in an entertaining 3-2 affair.

 
QUICK NOTES

• After Blake Driehuis and Bart Kooistra accounted for the first nine goals of the season, the Hawk offense grabbed the first two goals from elsewhere between Hartmann and Hood.
• Hood tallied just his second goal of his career, the first since 2021. Hartmann's strike was also his first since 2021, a season in which the central defender knocked four into the back of the net.
• Kooistra was rewarded for another top performance, the assist for the game-winner marking his third of the year to go along with his two goals this season.
• Wujewitsch tallied his second assist of the season in the defeat, while Fletcher was credited for his eighth of his career and first of the season.
• Jackson finished with two saves on the night.
• The Hawks were outshot 10-4 on the night, a 4-2 margin held by the Bulldogs in shots on goal. Both of St. Joe's shots on target found the net.
• Yale finished with a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
• The Bulldogs are now 3-0 all-time against the Hawks.

 
UP NEXT

• The Hawks return to Atlantic 10 action, hosting Duquesne on Sweeney Field in a Saturday, September 30 matchup. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m.