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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - Junior Mike Bazadona III (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) registered the first hat trick of his collegiate career as the Bloomsburg University men's soccer team closed out the 2018 season with a 4-1 victory at Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies conclude the year with an 8-9-1 overall record and a 5-6 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) standings under first-year head coach Danny Wheelan. The Mountain Cats wrap up the season with a 2-14 overall record and an 0-11 mark in league play.

Bazadona, who entered the contest with one goal on the season, became the second Bloomsburg player to record a hat trick this season as he joined junior Tyler Madeira (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) who recorded his first career three-goal game against Slippery Rock on October 7. Prior to Madeira's hat trick, the Huskies had not had a player with three goals in a game since Karl Lohninger scored three times in a 9-1 win over Bloomfield College on October 18, 2003.

The Huskies took a 1-0 advantage when sophomore Carter Luckenbaugh (York, Pa./Central York) notched his second goal of the season when he headed a cross from sophomore Thomas King (West Chester, Pa./B. Reed Henderson) past Pitt-Johnstown goalkeeper John Zakrzewski in the 26th minute. Then, with just 11 seconds left in the opening half, Bazadona extended the lead to 2-0 when he booted home a rebound past Zakrzewski. Redshirt sophomore Luis Partida (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford) had the assist on the marker.

Bloomsburg held a significant 12-2 advantage in shots in the first half.

Bazadona ballooned the lead to 3-0 in the 56th minute with his second goal of the game, and third of the season, when he drilled home another rebound off of an initial save from Zakrzewski off of a shot from freshman Haley Fiske (Pacifica, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prep). Just over a minute later, Pitt-Johnstown got on the scoreboard when Brady Brown notched his first goal of the season off of a corner kick opportunity. But, Bazadona would not be denied his first hat trick as he headed home a cross from Fiske in the 80th minute to conclude the scoring.

Pitt-Johnstown held a slim, 7-6, edge in shots in the second half but the Huskies wound up out-shooting the Mountain Cats for the match, 18-9. The hosts, however, did hold an 8-6 margin in corner kick opportunities on the afternoon.

Sophomore goalkeeper Brock Gould (York, Pa./Red Lion) evened his record at 6-6-1 on the season as he was credited with two saves on the day. Zakrzewski dropped to 0-8 on the year despite an eight-save performance on Saturday.

Bloomsburg's eight victories in 2018 marked a three-win improvement from last season and were the most wins in a season since going 14-5 overall during the 2015 campaign. The eight wins under Wheelan were the most by a coach in his first season in program history.

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