CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A. J. Nelson scored his first collegiate goal, but Northern Illinois scored four unanswered tallies the rest of the way, including a pair by Brad Horton, to defeat UNC Greensboro, 4-1, in men's soccer action at the Carolina Nike Classic on Sunday afternoon.

Nelson scored at 14:28 off a feed from Matt Strine. Strine played a ball through the box to Nelson, who finished it off at the far post for a 1-0 Spartan advantage.

Horton tied the game nearly four minutes later on a penalty kick. Brad Bahr then gave the Huskies (1-1-1) a 2-1 lead at 28:05 when he tucked a deflection just inside of the far post for his first goal of the season.

Ben Thomas made it a 3-1 game midway through the second half. Engebreth Faerden played a ball just past the Spartan backfield and Thomas won the race, knocking it inside the back post.

Horton closed out the scoring at 77:20 when he gathered a loose ball in the box and volleyed it past goalkeeper Peyton Ford for his second tally of the season.

Northern Illinois outshot the Spartans (0-2-0), 19-3. Ford, making his first collegiate appearance, had nine saves on the afternoon. The last two NIU goals came with the Spartans playing a man down following a red card.

The Spartans return home to face Marshall on Friday night as part of the UNCG Kickoff Classic. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. The first game of the doubleheader will have Elon facing Longwood at 5 p.m.

AGATE

Goals by period       1  2  Tot

Northern Illinois...  2  2 -  4

UNC Greensboro......  1  0 -  1

 SCORING SUMMARY:

1.  UNCG Nelson (Strine), 14:28

2.  NIU Horton (Penalty kick), 18:24

3.  NIU Bahr (1) (Thomas), 28:05

4.  NIU Thomas (1) (Faerden), 65:30

5.  NIU Horton (2) (unassisted), 77:20

Shots: Northern Illinois 19, UNCG 3; Saves: Northern Illinois 1 (Godsey 1), UNCG 10 (Ford 9; Team 1); Corner kicks: Northern Illinois 10, UNCG 1; Fouls: Northern Illinois 12, UNCG 13