DAHLONEGA - The No. 20 University of North Georgia (UNG) men's soccer team continued its strong late-season form Saturday evening, defeating Middle Georgia State 2-0 in Peach Belt Conference action at the UNG Soccer Complex behind a dominant second half and another shutout defensive effort.

The team's sixth straight win assures the Nighthawks at least a share of the program's first ever PBC regular season title with a point in the final two matches of the season securing the championship outright. 

After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the Nighthawks (9-3-4, 8-1-1 PBC) broke the deadlock early in the second half when Jorge Sandoval struck in the 51st minute to give UNG the lead it would not relinquish. The forward took a sharp cross from Max Garnett and fired it home for his seventh goal of the season, igniting a North Georgia offense that had spent much of the first half pressing but unable to find the finishing touch.
 
Just 17 minutes later Sandoval and Aram Lara combined to deliver a pinpoint assist in the 67th minute that found Santiago Cano, who finished from close range for his sixth goal of the season to make it 2-0.

Sandoval and Cano continued to pace the Nighthawks' attack as two of the Peach Belt's most productive scorers.
 
North Georgia controlled the tempo from the outset, owning a 15-7 shot advantage and earning all nine of the match's corner kicks, applying steady pressure on Middle Georgia State's back line. The Nighthawks' defensive unit turned in another complete effort, limiting the Knights (3-10-2, 0-10-1 PBC) to just two shots on target across 90 minutes.
 
Goalkeeper Aleksa Lukic notched one save in 88 minutes of work before Eduardo Bautista came on to close the match, combining for the team's fourth shutout of the season.
 
North Georgia will travel to Lander on Wednesday, Oct. 29 for a 7:30 p.m. start.
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