AIKEN, S.C. – Behind goals from six different players, Limestone emerged with a 6-1 victory over USC Aiken in the Pacers' regular season opener on Thursday evening at the "Pacer Pit."

The Saints scored three goals in each period to garner the win. Other than the final tally, the statistics were fairly even with Limestone collecting just one more shot (19-18) than the Pacers. Limestone also owned a slight 5-4 advantage in corner kicks at the end of the match.

USC Aiken had a chance to take the lead in the opening seconds with Brett Van Pelt (Aiken, S.C./South Aiken) smacking a volley off the crossbar less than 30 seconds into the match.

Van Pelt's narrow miss would loom large for the Pacers, who would fall behind 3-0 in the first stanza. Lee Smyth netted the first goal for the Saints when he connected on a penalty kick in the 11^th-minute.

Just under 14 minutes later, Smyth slid a pass across the box to an open Junior Ellis for Limestone's second goal of the match at the 24:26 mark. Tom Morris acquired Limestone's third goal of the first period in the 35^th-minute when he took a flick into the box from Keegan Ziada and deftly slotted the ball into the right corner.

The Pacers looked to change things around early in the second half with Van Pelt making amends for the narrow miss in the first stanza with an early netter in the final half of play. Van Pelt's goal in the 51^st-minute came on a rocket shot into the upper right corner from around 30 yards out.

The game would remain 3-1 for almost 20 minutes before Limestone pulled away with three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game. Jack Bailey scored the first goal of the second half for the Saints in the 70^th-minute. A little under a minute later, Keegan Ziada belted a shot into the right corner for a 5-1 Limestone advantage.

Marvin Hudson scored the final goal of the match at the 82:23 mark on an assist by Calvin Bond.

The Pacers will have just one day to regroup before traveling to Salisbury, N.C. on Saturday, Sept. 4 for a match with the South Atlantic Conference's Catawba. Kick-off is slated for 2 p.m.