GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior Patrick Santini (Cos Cob, Conn./Greenwich) erupted for a career-high four goals, tying a school record with his third career hat trick as the Gettysburg College men's soccer team defeated 23rd-ranked Haverford 4-1 in Centennial Conference (CC) action Saturday evening at Clark Field.
 
The win was Gettysburg's first over the Fords since 2013 and marked the Bullets' first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent since a 3-2 win at No. 18 Johns Hopkins on Oct. 28, 2009.
 
Santini posted his second hat trick this season and has now racked up a Centennial Conference-leading 13 goals. His four tallies were one shy of the school record and marked the first four-goal performance by a Bullet since Chris Pryor '00 also scored four versus Washington College on Sept. 18, 1999.
 
Santini, who entered the night tied for 12th in Division III in goals per game (1.13) becomes the fourth Bullet to net three career hat tricks, with Pryor being the last. Santini also scored three goals in a 3-0 win over Washington this season and in a 5-1 victory at McDaniel in last year's season finale.
 
Freshman Jonathan Molina (Adelphi, Md./DeMatha Catholic) assisted on two goals for the Bullets (7-2, 3-1 CC), who held an 11-9 advantage in shots. The tightly-officiated match included 40 fouls and six yellow cards, with five called against the Fords.
 
Defensively, the Bullets allowed just four shots on goal while holding an opponent to less than two goals for the seventh time this season. Senior Max Karen (Huntington, N.Y./Elwood-John Glen) made three saves to earn the win in goal for Gettysburg.
 
Haverford (6-2-2, 1-2-1 CC), the defending Centennial Conference champion, struck first when Nicholas Montgomery scored on a free kick in the third minute. But Santini and the Bullets came storming back with two goals over the next 10 minutes. Santini tied it in the ninth minute when he drilled in a penalty kick – his second of the season – before punching in what held up as the game-winning goal in the 13th minute. Molina chipped a pass from the left side to Santini, who from the middle of the box ripped a shot inside the left post.
 
Gettysburg pushed its lead to 3-1 in the 34th minute, when freshman Sam Lerman (Wayzata, Minn./Field School) delivered a perfect cross from deep in the right wing. It found Santini on the left post, and he headed it high into the net for the hat trick.
 
Each side earned several scoring opportunities over the remainder of the half, with Haverford gaining three corner kicks and the Bullets picking up two corners. But Karen saved the lone shot on goal over the stretch, snatching away a header on the second of two consecutive corner kicks and Gettysburg carried a two-goal lead into halftime.
 
Santini concluded his big night in the 55th minute. Molina delivered a pass from the left post to the middle of the box where Santini rifled a shot into the right side of the net.
 
The rest of the half was largely controlled by the defense, with the two sides combining for just four shots. Karen made his final stop in the 85th minute on another header.
 
Jeremy Astesano started in goal for Haverford and made three saves while playing the opening 39 minutes and allowing the first three goals. Michael Iacono played the final 51 minutes and yielded one goal without making a save.
 
Gettysburg picks up its schedule on Wednesday, when it hosts Eastern at 7 p.m. in a non-conference outing.