AIKEN, S.C. – USC Aiken's Noel Mais delivered the game's only score in the 68th minute off a throw in to snatch the 1-0 shutout victory over the UNC Pembroke men's soccer team on Wednesday evening at Pacer Pit in Peach Belt Conference action.

The loss marked the third-straight for UNCP (5-7-3, 3-4-2 PBC) and closed out the month of October with a 3-4-1 record, while USC Aiken (12-3-1, 6-2-0) remained second in the PBC standings with its second-consecutive win. 

The Braves were outshot throughout the match as USC Aiken notched 16 shots compared to UNCP's five. The Black and Gold tallied three of its shots in the first 45 minutes, while the Pacers registered four, but the second half saw 12 shots for USC Aiken including five prior to the goal. 

Following the goal, UNCP halted six shots by the Pacers with freshman goalkeeper Kenneth Perkinson grabbing six saves in his time between the posts including four in the second stanza, while USC Aiken's Brandon Jarosz and Joshua Poissant each split time in goal as Jarosz had the only save. 

In the first three minutes of the game, Mais set up for a penalty kick but Perkinson pulled out the stop to keep the game scoreless and again with less than three minutes before the half, the Garner native halted the shot from Jordan Misiri for a draw heading into the half.

Perkinson entered the final 45 minutes of regulation with three quick saves less than 10 minutes apart, but the throw in on the right side by Rodrigo Goncalves allowed for Mais to chip in the shot for the game-winning score.

Senior Sam Miles led the squad with a trio shots, while Reece Rooney tallied two. Miles attempted a shot at the 89:14 mark to try and equalize the score, but the shot flew wide in the final play of the game. Adria Dalmau registered a team-best five shots as Mais had four.

UNCP was given the all three yellow cards of the game as the match saw more fouls than shots with UNCP and USC Aiken combining for a total 26 fouls with 15 fouls alone in the first half.

The Braves will close out the regular season on Saturday in a 3 p.m. contest against Chowan (11-6) in Murfreesboro at the Chowan Hawks Soccer Complex.