WASHINGTON - Gallaudet University weathered an hour-long lightning delay here Saturday but couldn't contain Hood College junior Drew Demich as his hat trick propelled the Blazers to a 3-0 shutout to spoil the men's soccer home opener at a wet Hotchkiss Field.

The two teams got into the 13th minute before play was halted due to lightning. After the hour-long break, Hood got on the scoreboard with Demich's first goal of the game in the 20th minute. Demich brought the ball into the right corner and shot it across towards the Bison goal where goalie Eric Setzer (Middletown, Md.) got his hands on the ball but the momentum carried the ball into the back of the net. Demich tallied his second goal on a 20-yard blast off an assist from Juliano Pillari (two assists) in the 36th minute. Hood took the 2-0 lead into halftime against the Bison (0-1-1).

Hood (3-2) added a late goal in the final minute of the second half when the Blazers took one of their 14 corner kicks. Pillari lifted the ball into the box where Elmer Diaz got his head on the ball before Demich headed home his third tally of the game.

BISON TRACKS

• Setzer finished with eight saves
• Gallaudet senior defender Zachary Seguin (Royal Oak, Mich.) nearly scored on a 40-yard free kick in the 11th minute, the shot bounced off the crossbar
• Freshman Brian Espanto (San Antonio, Texas) had GU's other shot in the game
• This was GU's first meeting with Hood since Oct. 23, 2009, when the Blazers won 5-0
• Gallaudet is 0-6 all-time against Hood

UP NEXT
GU is off until Friday, Sept. 18, when it begins North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) play on the road at Penn College for a 2:15 p.m. game.