Banner Elk, N.C. – The No. 14 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's soccer team kicked off its 2026 campaign on a high note with a 4-0 shutout victory over Lees-McRae on Thursday afternoon.
The Nighthawks opened the new season by dominating possession on the attacking end of the field against LMC. North Georgia recorded 13 shots through the first 45 minutes, five of them on goal while holding the Bobcats without a shot in the first half.
North Georgia had a handful of opportunities to score early off a couple of free kicks in close from Liliyana Hernandez and Nina Lopez.
With 29:04 remaining in the first half, the Nighthawks found their first goal of the season off the foot of Lopez. After multiple stops from the Bobcats defense, the ball found Chloe Diaz, who tipped it back to Lopez just outside the top of the box. Lopez lifted the ball over the outstretched arms of the Lees-McRae goalkeeper to give North Georgia a 1-0 lead.
Ashlyn Tillery came inches away from extending the North Georgia lead to two goals in the first half with a shot that grazed off the top right corner of the crossbar.
The Nighthawks kept their feet on the gas in the second half using a trio of goals in the final 45 minutes to put the game to rest.
At the 59:23 mark, Maddy Neff converted on her first collegiate goal after slotting the ball past the goalkeeper and into the upper right corner of the goal off a cross from Sam Cottle to double UNG's lead with just under 27 minutes remaining.
In a similar spot on the opposite end of the field from her first goal, Lopez found the back of the net once again on a shot from outside the top of the box to build the lead to three.
With eight minutes left, Alli Treadwell delivered the nail in the coffin to seal the victory. After missing the entire 2025 season due to an injury, Treadwell was mobbed by her teammates after she buried her first goal since Oct. 12, 2024 to extend the lead to four and put the game out of reach for good.
Lopez led the way for North Georgia with a pair of goals off six shots, four of which were on goal. Thursday's win marks the third time in Lopez's career she has netted two goals in a single game.
Grace McGill, Cottle and Diaz each recorded an assist, helping set up the Nighthawks for 22 total shots.
In the second start of her career, Kayleigh Marreel recorded her second clean sheet with a pair of saves. Marreel and the Nighthawks' defense limited Lees-McCrae to just five shots.
The Nighthawks (1-0) will return to Dahlonega, Ga. for their home opener against Young Harris on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.
