Box Score by Kevin Buczek
PEMBROKE, N.C.-The Barton College men's soccer team played the final 33 minutes down a man and UNC Pembroke took advantage of another late foul call to score on a penalty kick in the 76th minute to sneak out a 1-0 non-conference victory on Wednesday.
Senior Sam Miles scored on the PK attempt at the 75:04 mark to lift the Braves (1-3-2 Overall) to their first win.
The Bulldogs (5-2) finished with a 19-15 shot advantage despite playing down a man after senior Nick Ahlquist was issued a red card in the 57th minute. However, Barton was held scoreless for the first time this season to end a three-game win streak.
BC kept the pressure on UNCP until the final horn taking four late shots in the final five-plus minutes beginning with a senior Dante De Luca free kick that hit the crossbar in the 85th minute. Senior Erik Pajunk – the reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Week – took a match-high seven shots.
Pajunk's final strike in the last 30 seconds of regulation was stopped by freshman goalie Kenneth Perkinson, whose sixth save preserved his second straight shutout.
De Luca followed Pajunk with four shots. Junior Kevin Strassburger added three of his own including two on frame.
Miles, who is a three-time Peach Belt Conference All-Conference honoree, reached the 30 career goal mark with his game-winning tally. Miles ripped the penalty kick in the lower left corner just out of the reach of Barton junior goalie Derek Collins, who guessed correctly and dove to his right.
Collins (2-1) made five saves for the Bulldogs.
Barton – ranked fourth in the Southeast Region – will try and get back on track at home against Southern Wesleyan University on Saturday at 7 p.m.
