Kluvers Hat Trick beats Bryant and Stratton
September 24, 2016 • Fort Kent, Maine

Fort Kent, Maine—The University of Maine at Fort Kent Men's soccer team prevailed in a rematch of the 2015 USCAA national championship game, 4-0, over Bryant and Stratton on Saturday afternoon. Two-time USCAA National Player of the Year senior Ben Kluvers scored a second half hat trick to power the Bengals to Victory.

UMFK controlled the game from the beginning keeping the ball in their third for much of the 90 minutes. The Bengals had the first opportunity to score five minutes in when a through ball to Kluvers went a little too far out of his reach and was corralled by Bobcats keeper, Harry Watson.

UMFK scored first in the 23rd minute when a Stuart Conway corner, nearly curled in, but found the head of Tom Coxon who awkwardly reached behind himself, to put the Bengals in front. The action was back-and-forth for the remained of the half, but no real scoring chances came for either team.

Twelves minutes into the second half, a Kyle Robin free kick found the torso of Kluvers who deflected it into the left bottom corner of the goal. Just two and a half minutes later Kluvers took a cross from Kalusha Kotes, headed it off the crossbar but then recovered his own rebound and drilled it past the keeper. He completed the hat trick 14 minutes later as a cross from Conway came from the left flank and Kluvers snuck in front of the defender and headed the ball to the near post.

The Bengals defense of Conway, Robin, Coxon and Stefan Petricevic halted every chance Bryant and Stratton created. Keeper Butch Forbes preserved the shutout saving all three shots he faced.

Bryant and Stratton keepers, Watson and Begic combined to make one save.