ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - All season long, Bard senior Jacob Hartog has been trying to break loose.

The striker who struck fear into the hearts of opposing defenses in winning the Skyline Conference Player of the Year Award in 2010 had been held in check in 2011. Going into Saturday's home game against Becker College, Hartog had one goal in eight games.

Even though he was still wearing the bullseye Saturday, he busted out with three goals as the Raptors shut out Becker, 3-0, in a non-conference game.

His first goal was really the killer for Becker because it came with just 21 seconds remaining in the first half. Senior Stergios Mentesidis played an excellent through ball that Hartog ran onto in the center of the field, and he beat Becker keeper Tim McDonald one-on-one for 1-0 lead.

Three minutes into the second half, he struck again, and Mentesidis was involved again, grabbing another assist with a deft through ball.

The continued attempts to get Hartog free didn't always work - the Raptors were called for offsides seven times - but in the 89th minute, it happened again when Christian Letourneau timed a pass to Hartog well and Hartog found the back of the net with a left-footed boot to the far post.

Becker, 1-5-2, outshot Bard, 12-11, but Bard carried the bulk of the possession all afternoon and gave up very few good scoring opportunities.

Bard, 3-6, got four saves from senior Deven Connelly. The Raptors' next game is on Friday, when they host Liberty League foe St. Lawrence University at 4 p.m. The Saints are currently the top-ranked team in the NSCAA Div. III poll.