DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Barry's men's soccer team opened the 2016 soccer season with a 4-2 victory over North Georgia.
The Bucs took the lead in the 32nd minute with the first goal of the season coming from junior midfielder, Hanno Antoni. Jerrell Cato headed the ball across to Mitchell Smith, who flicked the ball into the top of the six where Antoni popped the ball out of the air with one touch in and over the keeper's reach.
Antoni gave the Bucs a 2-0 lead over the Nighthawks in the 51st minute when he collected a fumbled ball from Nighthawks' keeper, Michael Samnik, off a shot from Pablo Georgakopoulos and netted the ball.
UNG's Jarrod Smalley trimmed the lead to 2-1 with a goal off of his own penalty kick rebound from initial save from keeper Bo Haug in the 59th minute.
The Nighthawks knotted the game 2-2 just 1:51 later as Jordan Day scored on a free kick from 25 yards out.
The Bucs scored the game-winning goal just 3:34 later. After a corner kick, Nyle Patel took the short clearance and gave the ball to Antoni, who popped a pass from the right corner of the penalty box to the center where Thomas Coombes waited unmarked. Coombes collected the pass from Antoni to beat the keeper one on one.
Ivan Arenas topped off the scoring for the night with a goal in the 89th minute. Leo Awokang cleared the ball the length of the field to Arenas, who worked it around the defense and the keeper to slot the ball into the back of the net.
Both teams recorded 14 shots on goal, but Barry was more effective with theirs registering four goals.
Bo Haug made five saves to collect the win for the visiting Buccaneers, while Samnik was saddled with the loss after only saving three of the seven shots on goal.
The Bucs resume play Saturday Sept. 3rd against the Clayton State Lakers in Morrow, GA.
