DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) men's soccer team raced past USC Aiken (USCA) for a historic 6-0 win at the UNG Soccer Field at Lynn Cottrell Park Saturday evening.
The Nighthawks are now 3-2-4 (2-0-1 Peach Belt) on the season and sit in an early-season tie for first place in the Peach Belt Conference as they're level with Flagler.
In Saturday's shutout victory, UNG accomplished a feat never previously done in the NCAA Division II era (2005) in program history.
All six goals came from six different players against the Pacers. In the six other instances since 2005 in which UNG scored six or more goals in a game, at least one player had multiple goals. Six different goal scorers are the second-most in a game in DII history and the most since the Nighthawks (then Saints) had eight goal scorers in 2005 in just the 11th game as a DII program.
Saturday also marked the program's first time scoring six or more goals since 2021 and just the seventh time doing so in the DII era.
UNG also recorded at least one assist on all six goals, totaling seven helpers in the game. That mark ties the record for the most assists in a game in the DII era.
Saturday marked the first time since Sept. 14, 2005 (vs. Reinhardt) that the Nighthawks recorded seven assists in a game, the only other time such a feat was accomplished in the program's DII history.
The Nighthawks also recorded season highs in shots (20) and shots on goal (13) in the victory.
The scoring barrage got started early thanks to a spectacular display from senior midfielder
DJ Shin.
Shin received a cross-pitch pass from senior midfielder
Miguel Romero. He took one touch, eyed the goal and rifled a shot towards it.
From 40 yards out, the ball exploded off Shin's foot and ripped the left side of the goal. Just 1:37 into the game, UNG had one shot and one goal thanks to Shin's first net finder of the season. Romero tallied his second assist this year on the play.
Despite out-shooting the Pacers 9-3 in the first half, the Nighthawks only held a 1-0 lead at halftime.
That did not last for long when sophomore defender
Bryan Benoit found the back of the net in the 58th minute.
Benoit was in the right place at the right time after a shot from sophomore forward
Jorge Sandoval was saved by USCA keeper Felipe Mattos. The rebound landed right in front of Benoit and he buried it into the net for the French Canadian's first career goal.
Just over six minutes later junior
Valen Bargagna found the back of the net for the second time this season.
Sophomore forward
Maxwell Mitchell used his lightning-fast speed to save the ball from going out of bounds on the near sideline. With plenty of space, Mitchell sped forward towards the end line and delivered a cross into the penalty area. The ball skipped through everyone and Bargagna found it beyond the back post.
Without a touch, Bargagna ripped a shot under the crossbar at light speed to make it 3-0 Nighthawks.
Four minutes after adding to the lead, UNG relentlessly expanded the advantage again.
Senior forward
Santiago Cano received a pass from sophomore midfielder
Samuel Gomez on the near corner of the box. He dodged a slide tackle from a Pacer defender and dribbled towards the goal before nonchalantly lifting the ball past Mattos with his right foot.
Gomez earned his first career assist on the goal while Cano recorded his team-leading fourth goal of the year.
With the result already decided the Nighthawks still did not ease off the gas pedal.
With 10 minutes remaining, senior forward
Haris Osmanbasic raced past the defense and received a beautiful pass from junior midfielder
Isaac Calderon. No USAC defender stood between Osmanbasic and the keeper, freeing up the forward to easily beat Mattos for his second goal of the year.
Calderon was credited with the assist, his team-leading fourth of the season.
Finally, with seven seconds left in the contest, senior forward
Will Bentley netted his first goal of the season after accepting a marvelous header pass from sophomore defender
Cameron Pfahl who earned the historic seventh assist on the play.
Now UNG will travel to Morrow, Ga. to take on the two-time reigning PBC Regular-season Champions in Clayton State. Kick off against the 2-4-2 (1-2-1 Peach Belt) Lakers is set for 5 p.m.
