DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Seventh-seeded Georgia Southwestern State University pushed No. 2 seed University of North Georgia into double overtime Saturday afternoon, but a goal in the 108th minute lifted the Nighthawks to a 2-1 victory in the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Men's Soccer Tournament at the UNG Soccer Complex.
The Hurricanes struck first early in the second half on a goal by
Ryan Burns and held the second-seeded Nighthawks (12-2-5) even through 90 minutes before Rafael Kawata delivered the winner with just 2:48 remaining in double overtime, denying GSW a chance to decide the match in a penalty-kick shootout.
GSW goalkeeper
Nathan Grady finished with six saves as the Hurricanes nearly knocked off a North Georgia squad that improved to 9-1-3 at home this season.
The teams entered Saturday's postseason matchup familiar with one another, having played to a 1-1 draw in Dahlonega on Sept. 23 before North Georgia earned a 1-0 victory in Americus on Oct. 17.
Both defenses held firm through the opening 45 minutes Saturday.
Juan Franco generated GSW's first opportunity in the 16th minute, sending a shot over the crossbar. North Georgia threatened in the 24th minute, but Grady turned away an attempt from Kawata.
Theo Hoang nearly broke the scoreless tie in the 29th minute, putting a shot toward the bottom-left corner that North Georgia goalkeeper Aleksa Lukic stopped. Hoang tested the Nighthawks again less than two minutes later, but his attempt was cleared off the goal line for a team save.
Grady made another stop on Bryan Benoit in the 44th minute, sending the teams into halftime tied at 0-0.
The Hurricanes wasted little time breaking through after the intermission.
At 47:52, defender
Ryan Burns scored his first goal of the season off an assist from
Dante Johnson to give GSW a 1-0 advantage less than three minutes into the second half. Burns became the ninth different Hurricane to find the back of the net this fall.
North Georgia responded at 57:42 when Maxwell Mitchell found the back of the net to level the match at 1-1.
The Nighthawks continued to apply pressure, but Grady kept the Hurricanes in contention with saves on Isaac Calderon in the 72nd minute and Rhys Shirley in the 77th.
GSW mounted a late offensive push of its own.
Johnson forced Lukic into a save in the 83rd minute before
Kimoni Mills followed with an attempt toward the bottom-left corner in the 85th that Lukic also turned away. The Hurricanes earned consecutive corner kicks in the closing six minutes but were unable to regain the lead.
With the score still tied after regulation, the teams headed to overtime.
North Georgia generated both shots in the first 10-minute overtime period, including a Max Garnett attempt in the 100th minute that Grady stopped to preserve the deadlock.
The Nighthawks continued to press in the second overtime, and Kawata finally broke through at 107:12 to give North Georgia the 2-1 victory and advance to the tournament semifinals.
North Georgia finished with a 12-6 advantage in shots, including an 8-5 edge in shots on goal, and held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Hoang led the Hurricanes with two shots, both on goal, while Burns, Johnson and Mills each placed their lone attempts on frame. Franco accounted for GSW's other shot.
Grady played all 107:12 in goal and recorded six saves. Lukic finished with three goalkeeper saves for North Georgia, which also registered a team save.
Saturday's loss brought the Hurricanes' 2026 campaign to a close with a 3-10-5 overall record. GSW finished the regular season with five Peach Belt Conference draws, the most in a single season in program history.
