DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) men's soccer team rallied for a 2-1 Peach Belt Conference victory over Clayton State on Wednesday at the UNG Soccer Field.
Clayton State (5-4-4, 3-3-2 PBC) struck first in the ninth minute when Arttu Leivonen scored off an assist from Ethan Elmore to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead.
The lead held until the 44th minute, when Julien Effa Effa scored off a pass from Rafael Kawata to even the score at 1-1 heading into halftime.
The Nighthawks continued to apply pressure after the break, outshooting Clayton State 7-2 in the second half. North Georgia took the lead in the 72nd minute when Dženan Cerimagic scored his third goal of the season off an assist from Isaac Calderon.
North Georgia's defense held the lead over the final 19 minutes to secure the conference victory. The Nighthawks finished with a 12-8 advantage in shots, including a 7-4 edge in shots on goal.
Goalkeeper Miguel Pineda recorded three saves for North Georgia, including two late in the game, while Clayton State's George Roke finished with five.
The Nighthawks (8-2-5, 4-2-4 PBC) return to action Saturday against Georgia Southwestern in Americus, Georgia. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
