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Hardy's hat trick lifts Lakeland to OT road win

Senior forward Jeremy Hardy's hat trick lifted the Lakeland College men's soccer team to a 3-2 win at Rockford College on Saturday in the Muskies' Northern Athletics Conference opener.

The Cooks, Mich., native gave Lakeland (2-1-1) a 1-0 lead at the 48-minute mark when he took a short cross from Ben Koepsell and, with his back to the goal, Hardy spun and put the ball in the roof of the net for the game's first goal.

The Regents scored the game's next two goals, but Hardy sent the contest into overtime when he tied it at two with a score with just under a minute to play. The game winner came at the 97:55 mark, as Hardy got the ball about 20 yards from the goal and pushed a shot past Rockford's goalie to the far post.

"After scoring that first goal, we dominated the next 15 minutes and had about a half dozen good looks, but couldn't finish," Lakeland head soccer coach Tony Pierce said. "That left the door open for Rockford, and while we're trying to re-group, suddenly they're leading 2-1.

"At the end of regulation I told our guys, 'We've got this game in hand, now don't let it slip away.' We did a nice job of closing it out to get a road win."

Lakeland outshot Rockford, 13-10. Keeper Alex Piekarski finished with three saves.

The Muskies return to action Sunday with a non-conference game at Lawrence University in Appleton at 3 p.m.

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