Hamilton’s Schuyler Gellatly put a dagger in the Red Hawks’ hopes to pick up their first win of the season, scoring with just 55 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Continentals a 1-0 victory.
The Red Hawks stuck with the nationally ranked Hamilton squad for the entire game, creating scoring opportunities and preventing the Continentals from penetrating deep into the RPI half of the field.
Head Coach Aldo Nardiello especially credited the play of Midfielder Joseph Tarpill, Sweeper Brian Bergeron, and Goalkeeper Marc Salmin with keeping Hamilton out of the goal for the first 89 minutes of the game.
The loss marked the third time this season that Rensselaer has been shut out. In their four games to date, the Red Hawks have only found the back of the net once, in the first half of their 2-1 loss to Mount Saint Mary.
Nardiello cited injuries as a major cause of the lack of offense. He also said that the team has been focusing on preventing early goals, a major problem for the team last year. In preparing for their upcoming North Country road trip, Nardiello said that the Red Hawks will make creating scoring opportunities a much higher priority.
The team has played better than their record indicates, due in large part to the team’s defensive play—this season’s four losses have been by a total of five goals.
"I think morale is high despite the record," Nardiello said. "Our guys are not giving up on the season."
He added, "If we can play with Hamilton, we can play with anyone. We just need to catch a few breaks."
The Red Hawks are on the road in the North Country this weekend to take on conference rivals Clarkson and St. Lawrence.
