New York, N.Y.- The Hunter College men's soccer team  put on an impressive display despite the rainy weather on Randall's Island on Saturday afternoon, defeating Pratt 5-2 behind an electrifying hat trick from Ben Avakook. With the win, Hunter improved to 2-5-1 on the season, while the Cannoneers dropped to 1-6-2.

Hunter struck first early in the game, as Saleel Eldin opened scoring in the 2nd minute with an assist from Musa Feseru. Despite a brief scare when Pratt equalized early in the second half, Avakook took matters into his own hands with a stunning run of three goals in just four minutes, starting with his first in the 65th minute off a Bradley Espejo assist. Avakook was in fine form, scoring again in the 66th minute, this time assisted by Feseru, his second of the day and a career-high for the Bronx Native.  Avakook later completed his hat trick in the 68th minute with help from Eldin.

Kevin Velez added a fifth goal for Hunter in the 90th minute, sealing the victory. Hunter's offensive attack produced 18 shots, 14 of which were on goal, compared to Pratt's five shots, with only three on target. Feseru, Eldin, and David Zlobinsky also each contributed an assist, showcasing the teamwork and coordination of Hunter's squad.

In goal, Matthew Heimowitz played a solid first half, keeping a clean sheet, while Max Tsigalnitsky made a crucial save in the second half to limit Pratt's scoring. The defensive unit, led by Christian Rodriguez and Conor Sullivan, played a crucial role in holding off Pratt's attack, while distribution in the center from Espejo and Robin Sebastian were key to the Hawks' formation.

The Hawks will take this momentum as they move into conference play, starting on Oct. 2 as they head to John Jay for a 3:45 pm kick-off.