DAHLONEGA – The No. 2 University of North Georgia (UNG) men's soccer team opened Peach Belt Conference play with a wild finish Wednesday night, battling Lander to a 3-3 draw at the UNG Soccer Field.
The Nighthawks (3-0-1, 0-0-1 PBC) found themselves playing from behind for the first time this season after Lander struck in the opening five minutes to take a 1-0 lead.
North Georgia responded in spectacular fashion in the 17th minute when Isaac Calderon delivered a bicycle kick to level the match at 1-1. Max Garnett provided the assist on the highlight-reel goal.
Calderon struck again just before halftime, giving the Nighthawks their first lead of the night in the 44th minute. Brayden Barnett set up the goal with a well-placed pass as North Georgia took a 2-1 advantage into the break.
The Nighthawks carried that momentum into the second half, extending their lead less than five minutes after the restart. Rhys Shirley found the back of the net in the 50th minute off an assist from Calderon to put UNG ahead 3-1.
North Georgia continued to pressure Lander throughout the second half, finishing with an 11-8 advantage in shots after outshooting the Bearcats 8-2 in the opening 45 minutes. The Nighthawks finished the night with a 19-10 edge in total shots and an 8-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Lander, however, mounted a late comeback. The Bearcats scored with less than 10 minutes remaining to cut the North Georgia lead to 3-2 before finding the equalizer with just 12 seconds remaining in regulation.
Aleksa Lukic made two saves for the Nighthawks, recording one stop in each half. Lander split time between two goalkeepers, with the Bearcats making five saves in the second half after making none in the opening 45 minutes.
North Georgia returns to action Sept. 12 when it hosts USC Aiken at the UNG Soccer Field. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. The match will mark the final contest of the Nighthawks' seven-game homestand.
