Behind six different goal scorers led by a hat trick from Victor Faaborg Christensen, the Presbyterian Blue Hose (1-0-0) cruised past the Southern Wesleyan Warriors, 8-1, in their season-opening game at Martin Stadium.
FROM COACH FINOTTI
“It wasn’t the start that we were hoping for but credit to Southern Wesleyan, I thought that they were competitive and looking to come here and get something out of the game,” said Presbyterian coach Nick Finotti. “It looked like we expected them to come and not want to get something out of the game. It took a minute for us to find some rhythm and tempo and apply our game model. There were moments that we looked like we should and there were some moments that showed why we need to train tomorrow.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the seventh minute, Faaborg Christensen got the Blue Hose on the board when he sent a shot from the left side of the box that went just inside the right post off an assist from Diego Hernandez.
In the 28th minute, Presbyterian was called for a foul in the box which awarded Southern Wesleyan a penalty kick. Presbyterian’s goalkeeper James Dee made a fantastic diving save off the Feren Nunez penalty kick keeping the Warriors off the scoreboard.
In the 38th minute, Presbyterian was awarded a penalty kick which Carson Griffith converted giving the Blue Hose a 2-0 lead.
In the 41st minute, Jose Gutierrez passed across the mouth of the goal to Jordan Johnson down the right side of the box. Johnson blasted a shot into the upper right corner of the goal pushing the Blue Hose in front 3-0.
In the 46th minute, Ryan Galloway gave PC a 4-1 lead when he scored off an Alex Walker assist.
In the 49th minute, Faaborg Christensen tallied his second goal of the game off an assist by Walker.
In the 54th minute, Faaborg Christensen completed the hat trick off an assist by Hernandez.
In the 56th minute, Southern Wesleyan’s Brody Schroeder scored.
In the 89th minute, Chase Kennedy found Gutierrez just outside the top of the box. Gutierrez blasted the ball into the upper left corner of the goal.
In the closing seconds of the game, Kennedy made the Blue Hose’s final margin of victory, 8-1, on a scoring shot from 20 yards out.
NOTABLES
Presbyterian’s eight goals set the school record for goals scored in a game in the Blue Hose’s Division I era.
Faaborg Christensen recorded the second hat trick in Presbyterian’s Division I era. In 2019, Cesar Sancho collected a hat trick against Furman.
Head Coach Nick Finotti became the first men’s soccer coach in Presbyterian’s Division I era to collect a win in his debut as Presbyterian’s coach.
Presbyterian finished the game with a 23-9 advantage on shots. Twelve of PC’s shots were on goal. Faaborg Christensen led the Blue Hose with five shots. Hernandez tallied three shots. Griffith, Kennedy, Gutierrez, and Luke Gladden recorded two shots apiece. Johnson, Galloway, Lorenzo Nagy, Jamari Busby, Nile Nguidjol, Alonso Munoz, and David Mitchell contributed a shot apiece for the Blue Hose’s efforts.
UP NEXT
Presbyterian begins a three-game road swing at Davidson on Wednesday, August 30 at 7 p.m.
