DENVER The University of Denver men’s soccer team dropped its exhibition game against North Carolina-Wilmington 3-1 on Saturday evening.

 

UNC Wilmington got things going early as Kirk Hudgins scored on a cross from the left side by Tyler Wheaton just 12 minutes into the contest. After collecting a failed clear in the middle of the field, Wheaton entered the penalty box on the left side and slipped a cross to Hudgins who knocked his shot inside the far post.

                                                                                                                                  

The Pioneers tied the game when senior midfielder Joey Mathot (Port Moody, B.C.) kicked a pass from the end line to the middle of the box, and freshman midfielder Jarod Stigall (Plano, Texas) buried it with 24:14 left in the first half. The game remained tied as the teams headed into halftime.

                                                                                                                            

The Seahawks put the game away in the second half when Devan Carroll scored a pair of goals during a six minute stretch. Carroll, who was celebrating his 20th birthday on Saturday, provided the eventual game-winner when he converted a through ball from sophomore Albert Alwang from midfield and slipped a goal past a diving Teale Stone (Tulsa, Okla.), Denver’s goalkeeper, at 67:17.

 

Carroll would give the Seahawks a two-goal cushion at the 73-minute mark when he headed home a corner kick by junior defender Caito Heiland.

 

The Seahawks outshot DU 12-8 on the game, including a 6-2 advantage in the second half.

 

The Pioneers begin their season at the Dayton Flyer Classic next weekend against Dayton (Aug. 29) and Wisconsin (Aug. 31) prior to their home opener against Loyola-Chicago on Sept. 5.