GREENSBORO, NC Junior forward Thomas Campbell scored a natural hat trick to lead UNC Greensboro to a 4-2 win over Davidson in Southern Conference men's soccer action Tuesday night.
Campbell, who earlier in the day was named the SoCon's Player of the Week after recording seven points in the last two games, scored three consecutive goals for UNCG to turn an early 1-0 Davidson lead into a Spartan two-goal advantage. UNCG won its second straight and raised its record to 6-4-2 overall, 2-2-0 in SoCon action. Davidson fell to 1-10-0, 0-3-0 in league play.
The Wildcats scored just 47 seconds into the match to take their early lead. Tom Lavan hit a low line drive from 25 yards out that found the lower left corner of the goal and Davidson had a 1-0 lead before fans had even found their seats.
But Campbell put on a clinic from there, scoring three goals three different ways. His first goal came at 18:11 when Nirav Kadam fed him the ball from the right side of the box. Campbell popped the ball into the top of the goal from 10 yards out and the score was tied.
Just 1:49 before halftime, the Middletown, NJ native made it 2-1. Matt Strine chipped the ball into the center of the box for Campbell, who turned and hit a blast from 13 yards away for the goal.
Then, 8:13 after the intermission, Campbell completed his first career hat trick. After a foul just outside the box gave UNCG a free kick, Campbell hit a rocket into the top right corner for his third tally of the night and his eighth of the season. In the last three matches, Campbell now has 13 points on six goals and one assist.
The Spartans added an insurance goal at 65:08. Travis Young settled a loose ball on the left side of the box. With a defender on his back, he tapped it to Tebatso Manyama, who hit a blast from 13 yards out for his third goal of the season and a 4-1 lead.
Davidson's Charlie Reiter closed the scoring at 83:30. Liam Bracken's long cross found Reiter on the left side of the box. Reiter chipped the ball into the top of the goal after the keeper had come out. It was Rieter's first goal of the season.
UNCG held a 20-14 advantage in shots. Robby Goldsberry had five saves for Davidson before giving way to Matt McElroy for the final 13:36. Nate Berry had four saves for UNCG.
The Spartans, who opened a five-game homestand on Tuesday night, return to action Saturday when they host College of Charleston in a key SoCon match-up.
AGATE
Davidson..1..1..-2
UNCG.......2..2..-4
SCORING: DAV Lavan (Turner) 0:47; UNG Campbell (Kadam) 18:11; UNCG - Campbell (Strine) 43:11; UNCG Campbell (unassisted) 55:13; UNCG Manyama (Young) 65:08; DAV Reiter (Bracken) 83:30. SHOTS: UNCG 20, Davidson 14. SAVES: UNCG 4 (Berry 4), Davidson 5 (Goldsberry 5, McElroy 0). Corner Kicks: UNCG 2, Davidson 4. Fouls: UNCG 8, Davidson 13.
UNCG
