by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Barton College, ranked fifth in the Southeast Region, will look to remain undefeated at home as the Bulldogs open up Conference Carolinas play against North Greenville University during the College's Family Weekend on Saturday at 7 p.m.
BC sports information will be providing live stats for the game that can be accessed by visiting www.BartonBulldogs.com. Barton fans can follow the Bulldogs this weekend and throughout the season via its official athletics website or via social media including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Barton College Men's Soccer
The Bulldogs are coming off a dramatic 3-2 overtime win against Lenoir-Rhyne University on Saturday. Barton improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 at home.
Barton was ranked No.19 last week but dropped out of the national rankings after suffering its first loss. However, the Bulldogs have responded well including a road win at then-No. 21 University of the District of Columbia and this week's OT win against the Bears.
The Bulldogs played the last 71 minutes of Wednesday's match down a man after freshman goalie Jens Madsen Hordvik was red carded for touching the ball with his hands outside the 18-yard box. Barton fell behind twice playing shorthanded but senior Erik Pajunk provided Bulldog fans with some late theatrics including tying the game with a highlight-reel free kick in the 85th minute and scoring the golden goal in the 94th minute.
Pajunk (3G, 3A) is tied with sophomore Alex David (4G, 1A) for the team-lead in points with nine apiece.
Barton is third in the league averaging 2.6 goals per game. Other top point producers for the Bulldogs include junior Kevin Strassburger (2G, 2A, 6P), senior Dante De Luca (2G, 4P), sophomore Jonathan Rembecki (1G, 2A, 4P) and junior Marcus Strath (1G, 1A, 3P).
Junior Derek Collins made two saves in relief of Hordvik against L-R in picking up his first collegiate win in net. Collins (2.53 GAA, .500 SV%) is expected to get the start between the pipes against North Greenville.
Barton has won three straight against NGU and is 3-1 against the Crusaders since they joined the league in 2011. The Bulldogs knocked off North Greenville 4-1 in Tigerville, S.C., last season. Pajunk had a big performance in that contest with one goal and two assists. Other BC players that have scored against NGU in 2012 include De Luca (twice), senior Nick Ahlquist and junior Jovan Gracia.
North Greenville University Men's Soccer
The Crusaders have dropped their first four matches of the season and have only scored one goal over that span.
North Greenville is 0-4 overall and 0-1 in the league with its conference setback coming on the road at Erskine (4-1). NGU's non-conference losses were against Brevard College (2-0), No. 12 Lander University (3-0) and Newberry College (1-0, OT).
Senior Jonathan Arango has the Crusaders only tally on an assist by junior Thales Wieczorek.
Wieczorek leads North Greenville with five shots on the season.
Sophomore goalie DJ Baker has played every minute in net for the Crusaders this season and he has accumulated a 2.45 goals against average and .714 save percentage.
NGU has lost eight consecutive matches dating back to last year and will be trying to pick up its first win on Saturday just one day shy of one full year since its last victory going 0-12-1 since a 2-1 win against University of Mount Olive on Sept. 21, 2014.
Junior Ara Zadoorian scored for North Greenville in last season's 4-1 loss to Barton.
