PHILADELPHIA, PA. – Sophomore Daniel Roberts scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, as UNC Wilmington knocked off defending Colonial Athletic Association regular season champion Drexel, 4-3, on Saturday in the conference opening match for both teams at Vidas Field.

The Seahawks improved to 4-5 (1-0 CAA) with the road victory while the Dragons extended their non-winning streak to six and dip to 2-4-2 (0-1).

In the 99th minute, junior striker Devan Carroll, who scored earlier in the game, was pulled down in the penalty area for the second time on the evening, leading to Roberts’ game-winning penalty kick goal at 98:31.

“Tonight was a quality win over a solid opponent,” said UNCW Head Coach Aidan Heaney. “It was a great team-effort coming from two-goal deficits twice and finishing the game strong.”

Roberts had sent the game into overtime with a penalty kick goal in the 76th minute after Carroll was pulled down in the penalty area. Roberts’ goal capped a UNCW rally that saw them tie the game after being down 3-1 in the second half.

Drexel halted a scoreless drought that lasted 507 minutes to take an early 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.  Mike Crosse received a through ball from Andrew Goldberg, escaped a pair of Seahawks defenders and beat UNCW keeper Brock Duckworth for the early lead. The last Dragon goal was scored by Fabio Assumpcao in an overtime win over Fordham on Aug. 31.

The Dragons continued to press in the first half and it paid off in the 32nd minute when Chris Schieve scored to give DU a 2-0 advantage. Pat McCaffery started the play with a pass to Carlos Ruthner, who lifted a cross into the box for a header by Schieve.

Caroll got the Seahawks on the board with his third goal of the season. The Jacksonville, N.C., native beat his defender and drilled a shot into the upper lefthand corner in the 39th minute to narrow UNCW’s deficit to 2-1.

A goal by Todd Wampler at the 64 minute mark restored Drexel’s two-goal cushion at 3-1. Wampler was on the finishing end of a cross from Nate Baker.

Less than three minutes later, though, sophomore Nassim Berhouni would make it a 1-goal game for the Seahawks when he settled a cross from sophomore Jeremy Lappas and drilled home his first goal of the season.

The Dragons had a chance to push it back to a two-goal lead, but Duckworth made a save on Anthony Bafile’s penalty kick in the 73rd minute. Duckworth finished with two saves.

After matching each other shot for shot in the first half (4-4), the Seahawks out shot Drexel, 15-4, in the second half to finish with a 20-8 advantage.

Despite allowing four goals, DU goal keeper Corey Robertson made nine saves on the evening, including five in the final nine minutes as the Seahawks threatened to end the game in regulation.

The Seahawks return to action on Oct. 4, when they host preseason favorite Old Dominion at 7 p.m.

-Courtesy UNCW