ST. AUGUSTINE - The Flagler College men's soccer team blanked Georgia Southwestern State University, 3-0, Wednesday night in its Peach Belt Conference opener. The match started at 7 p.m. and went into a lightning delay at 8:30 p.m. in the 61st minute until play resumed at midnight.
 
Sophomore Paul Hansen scored his first goal of the season in the 20th minute of the match with a give-and-go from Marc Birkelund to give the saints an early 1-0 lead. 
 
Before a three-and-a-half-hour lightning delay, the Hurricanes held the advantage in shots (10-6) and shots on goal (6-1). The Saints had a 3-2 edge in corner kicks while Tirso Trueba tallied seven saves in the first 60 minutes of play.
 
Flagler did not let the delay stop their momentum, and immediately attacked Georgia Southwestern's goal. Liam Fisch took a shot in the 62nd minute which was blocked, forcing Hurricane keeper Mauricio Uribe to scramble and knock in the rebound as an own goal, giving the Saints a 2-0 lead. 
 
In the 76th minute, Dan McGuire sealed the 3-0 win with his second goal of the season. McGuire received a pass from Hansen across the box and launched the ball into the back of the net. 
 
McGuire now leads Flagler with four points (2g) while Hansen is second on the team with three points (1g, 1a). In his first PBC match, keeper Trueba made a career-high eight saves in the net.
 
Flagler continues its league play with a road game at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia, Saturday at 1 p.m.

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