Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – After a scoreless first half, the USC Aiken men's soccer team and Coker combined for five goals in the 45 minutes as head coach Ike Ofoje's team pulled off a 3-2 victory.
The Pacers are now 9-2-1 on the season.
After the Cobras struck first in the early going of the second period, USC Aiken knotted the contest at 1-1 when Andre Simmond booted a corner kick that found rookie Brett Smith on the far side of the post. Smith timed his jump perfectly, soaring over two defenders before rocketing the header into the back of the net.
The Pacers took a 2-1 lead when Simmond played a ball off the corner kick to Adria Dalmau, who blasted a shot past the keeper in the 64th minute of play.
Coker struck with an equalizer in the 79th minute of action, but Ofoje's team would not give up.
The Pacers controlled the possession for the most part and worked to get shots on target. In the 88th minute of play, Dalmau recorded a close-range shot that bounced off the post and trickled across the frame. Noel Mais fought off a defender while tapping the ball past the end-line for the eventual game-winning goal.
Coker would continue applying pressure as the team earned two corner kicks in the final 96 seconds. However, the stingy defense of USC Aiken stopped the attacks to preserve the victory.
Jordan Misiri, Mais and Jan Wester all had three shots on the night for the Pacers. Misiri and Mais each put two shots on target.
For the match, Joshua Poissant made several key plays in goal while playing the entire 90 minutes. He stopped two shots, but was instrumental in thwarting the chances by the Cobras.
Ofoje's team out-shot Coker 14-7 and maintained a 10-2 edge in corner kicks. Kyndle Cobb played well in goal for the Cobras as he stopped six shots while playing the entire match.
For the contest, the teams combined for 15 fouls, including eight yellow cards – seven of which came in the final 45 minutes.
The Pacers return to action Saturday at 3:30 p.m., when they host Montevallo in a Peach Belt Conference contest.
