New York, N.Y.- The Hunter College men's soccer team battled hard against conference rival, Baruch College, this evening but but ultimately came up short in a 2-1 defeat at Columbia University. The match was intense, but a late first-half goal by Bradley Espejo couldn't spark a full comeback for the Hawks, who now sit at 3-10-1 (1-4-0 CUNYAC).

Hunter started with a promising offense, recording 13 total shots, six of them on target. Midfielder Bradley Espejo led the charge, accounting for over half of Hunter's total shots. Espejo's relentless attack resulted in a goal in the 31st minute, narrowing the Baruch lead to 2-1. He finished with seven shots, five of which were on goal, showing his constant threat throughout the match.

Defensively, goalkeeper Matthew Heimowitz put on a solid performance, recording five saves while facing heavy pressure. Hunter's defense held firm in the second half, keeping Baruch scoreless after the break, but the Hawks were unable to capitalize on several key opportunities.

Conor Sullivan, who played a full 90 minutes, was pivotal in Hunter's defensive setup, while forwards Saleel Eldin and Robin Sebastian both contributed to the offensive effort with shots of their own.

Despite several promising attacks and set pieces, including four corner kicks, Hunter couldn't find the equalizer in a physical and high-energy second half.

The Hawks will look to rebound from this tough loss as they continue their conference campaign on Oct. 19 as they host Medgar Evers on Randall's Island Field #74 at 10:00 am.