YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Niall McCabe's hat trick helped Young Harris College to a 5-1 non-conference men's soccer victory over Shorter University Wednesday (Oct. 3) evening at the Frances Wood Wilson Soccer Field.

The Mountain Lions improved to 9-2-0 while the Hawks fell to 2-8-1. Young Harris steps back into Peach Belt Conference play Saturday (Oct. 6) when they travel to Florence, S.C., for a 7 p.m. encounter against Francis Marion University.

McCabe, who leads the Peach Belt in goals (12) and points (33), got his hat trick in the first 24 minutes of the match. McCabe gave the Mountain Lions a 1-0 lead at the 9:55 mark as he took a cross from James Thorpe. McCabe, who also had a hat trick earlier this season in a 3-1 win over Florida Southern College, took a through ball from Ilija Ilic five minutes later for his second strike and closed out the hat trick at the 23:35 mark on a direct kick from just outside the box.

Ilic scored the first of his two goals off a pass from Lewis Hilton to give the Mountain Lions a 4-0 advantage at the 32:23 mark.  The Hawks got their lone goal off a chip shot by Irvin Espinal with just under five minutes left in the first half. Ilic scored his seventh goal of the season just four minutes into the second half after pass through the box from Hilton to give Young Harris, which outshot Shorter 26-9, a 5-1 lead.