YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Ilija Ilic and Niall McCabe combined to score three goals and three assists as Young Harris College defeated Thomas (Ga.) University 5-2 in a men's soccer match Sunday (Sept. 2) afternoon at the Frances Wood Wilson Soccer Field.

The Mountain Lions improved to 2-0-0 and they will travel to Pensacola, Fla., Friday (Sept. 7) for a 2:30 p.m. Central time match against Rollins College. The Night Hawks suffered their first loss of 2012 and fell to 2-1-0. Thomas will face No. 19 Christian Brothers University in a 3 p.m. contest Monday (Sept. 3) at Young Harris.

Young Harris scored twice in a four-minute period in the late minutes of the first half to take a 2-0 lead. Ilic knocked the ball in the left corner of the goal at the 34:39 mark off an assist from McCabe, who has five assists in two matches. Khurram Shazad added a score in the 39th minute off a Kyle Ball cross and an Ilic flick.

The Mountain Lions, who outshot the Night Hawks 22-3, struck quickly for a 3-0 lead in the early moments in the second half as Lewis Hilton scored off an McCabe cross. Thomas got a goal back when Diego Hurtado converted a Young Harris turnover in the backfield into a score at the 54:26 mark. It was the Night Hawks' first shot of the match.

Young Harris added insurance goals by Ilic and McCabe three minutes apart midway through the second half to push the lead back to a 5-1 advantage. The Night Hawks got their final goal from Gary Watkins with five minutes left.

"It was another convincing team performance," said Young Harris head coach Mark McKeever. "We started very sloppy, but when we got into our stride we caused all sorts of problems for Thomas. The goals scored were of a very high standard.  Players that were influential today were Ashley Walker, James Thorpe and Andreas Pechmann.  When the quality of play started dropping, their experience and influence lifted everyone to a higher level, which created a better standard on and off the ball."