WILMINGTON, North Carolina – No. 13 UNCW used a four-goal explosion in the second half to open its home schedule with a 4-0 victory over Jacksonville in non-conference men's soccer action at UNCW Soccer Stadium on Thursday evening.
The win allowed the Seahawks to remain unbeaten at 3-0-0 while Jacksonville dropped its third consecutive contest to begin the year.
After a scoreless first half, the Seahawks broke things open by scoring three times in a nine-minute span early in the second stanza. UNCW took advantage of an own goal in the 49th minute to take a 1-0 lead before sophomore
Drew Rabil notched his first goal just six minutes later off a corner kick by redshirt junior
Danny Reynolds.
Just over three minutes later, freshman
Cesar Cruz scored the first goal of his college career when he took an outlet pass from junior
Phillip Goodrum and converted on a breakaway opportunity.
Junior
Tom Isola completed the scoring in the 77th minute when he tallied his first marker of the season off an assist from sophomore
Emil Elveroth.
Redshirt senior
Ryan Cretens and redshirt sophomore
Kyle McGovern combined to record the Seahawks' third consecutive shutout. Cretens made two saves in 72 minutes before McGovern played the final 18 minutes.
Senior goalkeeper Patrick Harding made eight saves in the loss for Jacksonville, which was outshot by a 21-3 margin, including a 9-0 count in the first half.
Up Next: The Seahawks head back on the road to face Longwood on Monday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m.
