DAHLONEGA – The No. 10 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's soccer team rolled to a 5-1 win over Lincoln Memorial (LMU) at the UNG Soccer Field at Lynn Cottrell Park Wednesday evening.
The Nighthawks improved to 4-0-1 with the victory, marking the second time in the last three seasons they have remained unbeaten through at least five matches.
Wednesday's dismantling of the Railsplitters was the product of a necessary redemption UNG felt it owed itself after a 2-2 draw against No. 16 Lee on Sunday. After leading 2-0 against the Lady Flames, the Nighthawks conceded two goals in the final eight minutes of the game resulting in the draw.
Against LMU, UNG had a chance to prove to itself and to everyone watching that this team is serious about contending as one of the top teams in the country this year.
That was evident in the early stages when senior forward
Kyleigh Drew wasted no time in securing the 18th hat trick in the NCAA Division II era (2005) of Nighthawk women's soccer history.
Drew started the scoring outburst in the 12th minute after a fine assist from junior midfielder
Chloe Diaz. The duo perfectly executed a give-and-go around three Railsplitters defenders, leaving Drew wide open in front of the net as she buried her second goal of the year.
A little over five minutes later, senior defender
Alexa Aronoff played the ball to Drew near the top of the penalty box on a counter attack. Drew had yet another open look at the goal and slipped the ball past LMU keeper Emma Cooke for the brace.
In the 22nd minute while already holding a 2-0 lead, Drew put the Nighthawks squarely in the driver's seat with her third goal of the game. Senior forward
Meghan O'Brien did most of the heavy lifting on the play as she drove past her defender all the way down towards the goal line on the near side of the net. After faking a shot, O'Brien neatly passed the ball to Drew who was waiting just two yards in front of the goal with a wide open net. She buried the shot to secure her
first career hat trick.
Within 22 minutes Drew had accomplished what had only been 17 times prior to Wednesday's game. She now leads the Nighthawks with four goals on the season.
The Railsplitters added a goal of their own in the 33rd minute to make it 3-1 score at halftime.
In an eerily similar position to Sunday's matchup with the Lady Flames, UNG had an opportunity to rewrite the script with a two-goal lead in the second half Wednesday. It did just that as freshman
Julia Kraszewski checked into the game.
Making the first appearance of her collegiate career, it did not take long for Kraszewski to find the back of the net.
After sophomore forward
Blanca Cruz received a cross from senior forward
Bailey Oetinger, the ball bounced right over to Kraszewski who had a wide open net in her sights. The rookie calmly
rifled the ball into the net for her first career goal to make it 4-1.
Having dominated both halves and holding a three-goal lead, the game was already in hand. However, senior midfielder
Adleigh Wheeler would not entertain any ideas of a miraculous comeback.
In the 82nd minute, Wheeler tackled an LMU defender just outside the penalty area. She raced forward with the ball on her foot and zero defenders between her and the goal. Wheeler chipped a low shot past Cooke on the right side of the net to secure her first goal of the season and the Nighthawk victory.
UNG will now begin conference play as it welcomes USC Beaufort to Dahlonega on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. The Nighthawks are 5-0 in Peach Belt Conference openers under head coach
Kayley Ralton.
The same fans that celebrated Fall Spirit Night on Wednesday can also join the program for Family Day and the debut event of Nigel's Kids Club at halftime of the game.
