Box Score MARS HILL, N.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken men's soccer team picked up a thrilling 3-2 non-conference overtime win over Mars Hill on Saturday afternoon when Troy Watson scored at the final buzzer of the first overtime to send the Pacers to victory at Meares Stadium.

Watson (Kingston, Jamaica/Montreat) scored the game winner on a rifling shot from about 35 yards out that sailed past Mars Hill goalkeeper Justin Spencer.

The match-winner by Watson improved the Pacers to .500 at 3-3 on the year. USC Aiken is 3-1 in its last four outings.

The Lions of Mars Hill dropped to 1-5-1 on the year with the loss to the Pacers.

After Rury Caufield first placed the Lions on the scoreboard in the 37th-minute on a goal on a direct kick, (James Chidsey Rome, Ga./Rome) scored his second goal in the last three games on a direct kick cross from Alex Lewis (Tampa, Fla./Shorecrest) to square the game at 1-1.

The Lions would take the lead going into halftime with a goal by Friddy Hoegener at the 44:34 mark.

USC Aiken was able to get the equalizer in the 67th-minute when Fernando Gamez-Noriega (Sinaloa, Mexico/Colleton County) netted his team-leading fourth goal of the 2009 campaign. Gamez-Noriega was assisted by John Lesko (Richland, Wash./Richland) and Brett Van Pelt (Aiken, S.C./South Aiken).

Neither team could net the go-ahead goal in the final minutes of regulation, leaving room open for Watson to score the "golden goal" with just one second on the clock in the first overtime.
Mars Hill took five more shots (16-11) than the Pacers in the contest, but USC Aiken held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks.

After an incredible stretch of four games in seven days, USC Aiken now has a much-needed seven days off before welcoming Carson-Newman to the "Pacer Pit" at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.