Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's soccer team registered a 5-1 victory over the visiting Shorter Hawks Wednesday evening in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
The Pacers improve to 2-1-2 on the season.
Head coach Ike Ofoje's team scored a pair of goals early while adding three goals in the second period over an 11-minute span.
Leading the way for USC Aiken was Gabriel Locher with a pair of goals while Andre Simmond tallied a goal and two assists. Nathan Shanko added a goal and an assist while Jarrel Smalls found the back of the net once.
In the fourth minute of action, Shanko brought the ball down the pitch and crossed it toward the middle of the offensive third. Locher quickly corralled it before rocketing a shot past the keeper for a 1-0 advantage.
At the 10:21 mark, Simmond found Smalls slicing through the defense. Simmond squeezed the pass between a pair of Hawks and Smalls one-timed it into the back of the net for a 2-0 edge.
Simmond went back to work in the 75th minute of play. He juked a defender and headed toward the right side of the box. Simmond quickly lofted the ball across the frame where Shanko tallied his second goal of the night. Shanko jumped in the air over a defender and headed home the ball for the 3-0 margin.
With 12:01 to play, the Hawks sliced the score to 3-1 off a set piece.
However, USC Aiken quickly countered when Simmond was fouled in the box at the 81:27 mark. He calmly walked up to the ball and converted the penalty kick for a 4-1 lead.
Locher broke through with 4:16 left in the contest as he dribbled past four defenders to the right side of the box. He squared up and booted the ball to left side of the goal and it promptly found the back of the net for a 5-1 advantage.
For the match, Andre Bernardini was nearly flawless, stopping six shots between the pipes while playing all 90 minutes.
The Pacers held a 13-10 advantage in shots while the visitors posted an 11-9 edge in corner kicks.
The five goals marked the most USC Aiken has scored since a 5-0 win over St. Andrews Sept. 23, 2013.
The Pacers have a week off before returning to the pitch on Wednesday, Sept. 23 for a home match against Young Harris. The match is slated to start at 1 p.m.
