SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team travelled to Spartanburg, S.C., and became the first team to win on Wofford's home field since 2013, snapping a 12-game home winning streak by the Terriers as the Spartans posted an impressive 2-1 victory over Southern Conference co-leader Wofford Tuesday night. The victory moves the Spartans into second place in the league standings and sets up a showdown between the top two teams in the league Saturday night when UNCG hosts Furman on its Homecoming at 7:30 p.m.

The victory improves the Spartans to 3-1-1 in SoCon play as they leapfrog the Terriers in the standings with 10 points, compared to nine points for Wofford (3-2-0). Senior forward Jacques Francois (Port Au Prince, Haiti/Louisburg College) continued his stellar play of late, scoring a goal and adding an assist. Francois has taken over sole possession of the top spot in the SoCon in scoring with 15 points as he leads the league with five goals and five assists.

The Spartans controlled play in the first half, holding possession for over 70 percent of the first half. UNCG broke through on the scoring column in the 32^nd minute of action. Francois made a run down the let-hand side and ripped a shot that Wofford goalkeeper Joe Wichman was able to punch back out.

Redshirt sophomore midfielder Rouven Wahlfeldt (Velbert, Germany/Gymnasium Waldstrasse) was the first player to pounce on the loose ball and poke it through traffic for the 1-0 lead and his first goal of the season. The Spartans owned a 9-6 edge in shots and a 4-1 advantage on corner kicks in the first 45 minutes but only held a one-goal lead.

Wofford came out of the halftime break and tied the game just 50 seconds into the second half as an early Terrier shot was saved by freshman Jon Milligan (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando), but the ball went out for a corner kick. Wofford sent a low ball through the box where Connor Bauknight was there to bury the shot from eight-yards out to tie the game at 1-1.

The Spartans answered back in less than five minutes to re-take the lead in the 51^st minute of play. Francois too advantage of a Wofford turnover in the box and beat a couple of defenders. He ripped a tough angle shot from the end line that ripped past Wichman into the back of the net for the 2-1 lead. The goal was the fifth of the season for Francois and moved him into a tie for the SoCon lead in goals.

The Spartans came within inches of extending their lead in the 58^th minute. UNCG sent a long ball down the right-hand side where senior Ben Burdon (Charlotte, N.C./High Point) beat his defender and turned down the end line. Burdon sent a ball into the box where junior Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military College) sent a shot off a volley just wide of the post.

Milligan preserved the victory as made two saves in the second half and controlled his 18-yard box in the closing minutes as Wofford was pressing for the game-tying goal. Milligan has now played the last three games and has allowed two goals in 290 minutes of play.

The Spartans return to action Saturday night as they host SoCon leader and rival Furman on Homecoming. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The game is a rematch of earlier this year when the Paladins posted a 2-0 victory at home in the driving rain giving UNCG its lone league loss.

-UNCG-