BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Sophomore Hakan Ilhan had two goals and an assist as UNCG ran its unbeaten streak to five straight with a 4-1 win at Gardner-Webb on Friday night, spoiling Homecoming for the host Bulldogs.
Ilhan, a native of Stuttgart, Germany, overshadowed Brian Graham's fourth goal in the last five days by recording a five-point night of his own. Graham finished with a goal and an assist to give him 10 points in the last five days.
The Spartans (7-5-3) took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half on Graham's sixth tally of the year. A cross from Michael Bonilla found Ilhan. Ilham tipped it to Graham, who chipped it home for the lead.
Ilhan scored twice in a 103-second span early in the second half to put the game out of reach. Graham's cross into the box from the right wing found Ilhan, who tucked it just inside the left post for a 2-0 lead. Then, Ilhan scored when goalkeeper Adam Garcia fumbled a ball in the box and llhan one-timed into home for his sixth goal of the season, tying Graham for the team lead.
Gardner-Webb's Stephen Webb's wrecked the shutout with his first career goal with 11:12 to play when he scored off a Chikioke Akujuobi feed. The Spartans got the goal right back less than four minutes later, however, when Adam Shore registered an unassisted tally, his second goal of the year.
Peyton Ford made two saves to record the win in goal for UNCG, which is now 3-0-2 in its last five matches. UNCG had a 15-12 advantage in shots on the night.
The Spartans return to action on Tuesday night when they go back into conference play, hosting Appalachian State at 7 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG................ 1 3 - 4
Gardner-Webb........ 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY: UNCG Graham (Bonilla; Ilhan), 22:43; UNCG Ilhan (Graham), 52:21; UNCG Ilhan (unassisted), 54:04; GWU Maxwell (Akujuobi), 78:48, UNCG Shore (unassisted), 82:28. Shots: UNCG 15, Gardner-Webb 12; Saves: UNCG 2 (Ford 2, Copeland 0), Gardner-Webb 5 (Garcia 4; Elekan 1). Corner Kicks: UNCG 0, Gardner-Webb 4. Fouls: UNCG 9, Gardner-Webb 10.
- UNCG -
