GREENSBORO, NC – Randi Patterson scored three goals for the second time in his career as UNC Greensboro defeated Belmont, 5-2, in a men’s soccer action at the 2006 UNCG Men’s Soccer Classic on Sunday afternoon.
Patterson, who did not play in UNCG’s last two matches because of a conference ejection rule, scored his third, fourth and fifth goals of the year. It was his third-ever six-point match, joining last year’s hat trick against Charlotte and a two-goal, two-assist match against Georgia Southern last year. He now has 53 goals and 124 points in his collegiate career.
Belmont (1-5-0) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Jay Ayres scored off of his own rebound. Amr Ali served the ball into the box off a corner kick. Ayres initial header was blocked by a UNCG defender at the right side post. However, the rebound bounced right back to Ayres’ foot and he blasted it into the goal from four yards out.
Patterson, a two-time All-American and a candidate for the Hermann Trophy, tied the game just 3:09 later. Fellow Hermann candidate Scott Jones made a run through the middle of the field, tapping the ball to Travis Young as he approached the box. Young then flicked the ball ahead to Patterson, who hit a shot from 14 yards out into the right side of the net to knot the score at 1-1.
Sophomore Thomas Campbell gave UNCG a 2-1 lead midway through the first half. D.J. McCurry served the ball ahead to Campbell on the right sideline. Campbell then made a long run down the right side into the box and hit a blast from 14 yards out that went off of the keeper’s hands and just inside the right post for Campbell’s first goal of the season.
Patterson, a senior from Hackensack, NJ, made it 3-1 just before intermission. Matt Cunningham hit a ball from the right side of the goal that Patterson got just enough of his head on to re-direct it into the goal.
Belmont cut the lead to 3-2 just over 10 minutes into the second half when Ayres connected on a penalty kick at 55:40. But sophomore Henning Jonasson’s free kick from 22 yards out was beautifully hooked into the top right corner of the net at 64:17 to put the Spartans back up by two goals, 4-2.
Patterson completed his hat trick at 76:29. D.J. McCurry and Scott Jones picked up their second assists of the day when McCurry found Jones from the right side of the net. Jones made a perfect heel pass from the right post over to Patterson on the left side of the net. Patterson just chipped it in from the doorstep for the trifecta.
UNCG, which is ranked as high as No. 18 in the national polls this week, outshot Belmont, 21-14, on the afternoon. Over the last three seasons, UNCG is now 30-3-0 when Patterson records at least one point.
The Spartans (4-2-0) return to action next Friday at 4:30 pm when they face William & Mary in the first match of the Stihl Soccer Classic in Norfolk, VA.
AGATE
Belmont............. 1 1 - 2
UNC Greensboro...... 3 2 - 5
SCORING SUMMARY: BEL Ayres (Ali, Amr), 8:03; UNCG Patterson (Young, Jones), 11:12; UNCG Campbell (McCurry), 26:55; UNCG Patterson (4) (Cunningham), 43:07; BEL Ayres (penalty kick), 55:40; UNCG Jonasson (unassisted), 64:17; UNCG Patterson (Jones, McCurry), 76:29. Shots: Belmont 14, UNC Greensboro 21. Saves: Belmont 6 (Roelke 6, Gravely 0), UNC Greensboro 5 (Janda 4; TEAM 1). Corner kicks: UNC Greensboro 10, Belmont 1. Fouls: UNC Greensboro 18, Belmont 16.
- UNCG -