DAHLONEGA — With 10 seconds left, North Georgia earned a corner kick and ended up finding Elwyn Asiedu on the back post for a header as the horn sounded to give the University of North Georgia men's soccer team a 2-1 win over Erskine Thursday night in the home opener at the UNG Soccer Complex at Lynn Cottrell Park.
The Flying Fleet scored early on a rebound in the second minute as Dennis Cole found his first goal of the year. After going to the half down a goal, North Georgia came out attacking in the second half and finally broke through as Donovan Odier scored the game tying goal in the 73rd minute on a rocket from 30 yards out.
As time wound down, Gustavo Alencar and Victor Galterio combined in the corner to allow Alencar to swing a ball in to the back post where Asiedu headed it in as time expired to send the Nighthawk fans home happy and give UNG the win.
NOTES
- UNG outshot Erskine, 20-6, including 8-3 in shots on goal.
- The walk-off goal by Asiedu was the second such goal in the calendar year after Kevin Lopez netted a golden goal in the 100th minute against Clayton State back in March. It's the fourth walk-off win for UNG since 2016.
- It's the first season-opening win since 2017 and the first home opening win since 2018.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will hit the road to battle Lee on Tuesday with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
UNG WOMEN HOLD ON FOR DRAW
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The University of North Georgia women's soccer team scored three straight goals in the first half and then held on to earn a 3-3 draw at Carson-Newman Thursday afternoon.
After an opening goal by the Eagles in the 11th minute, Abbie Crane answered with her first goal in the 23rd minute on a breakaway to knot the game up at 1-1. Seven minutes later, Taylor Malasek fired a rocket past the C-N keeper from 35 yards out to give UNG its first lead of the night. North Georgia extended the lead to 3-1 on Crane's second goal in the 40th minute.
Carson-Newman responded in a big way in the second half, coming out and scoring just three minutes into the second half and again in the 65th minute to tie the match. From there, the Nighthawks saw the game out to finish with a draw.
NOTES
- Crane earned her second career brace. Her first two-goal outing came back in February against Francis Marion.
- Carson-Newman took 13 shots in the second half to UNG's four. Both teams had seven shots on goal.
- The draw is the first in a season opener since 2009 when UNG tied Tampa, 2-2. It is also the first time in program history that UNG has scored three goals in a draw.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will open the home slate Wednesday when they play host to West Georgia. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
