THOMASVILLE, Ga. – Even when the odds are stacked against them, good teams find a way to win.  That was the mantra of the Thomas University men's soccer team on Monday afternoon, as the Night Hawks played a man down for nearly the entire match against William Carey but still found a way to win in double overtime.  The grueling victory, which saw junior striker Severin Abt net a hat-trick, bolstered Thomas University's record to 4-0.
 
The team's attention now shifts to a well-rested opponent in Embry-Riddle (1-0), a squad that has played just one match so far in 2015.  It's difficult to gage the talent level of the Eagles, whose 2014 season was one of near misses.  The team posted a disappointing 5-6-4 record a year ago, but the final loss tally does not reflect the competitiveness of David Gregson's side.  The Eagles lost a whopping six matches by a single goal and drew four more.  The Eagles never lost a match by more than a one goal and maintained a +10 goal differential on the season despite a losing record.
 
The Eagles return Second Team All-Sun Conference defender Magnus Magnusson, who proved his worth in 2014 despite switching positions.  He garnered Second Team honors after being pegged a First Team midfielder his freshmen season in 2013.  Magnusson anchored an Embry-Riddle defense that allowed just 1.14 goals per match.  Gregson's side also returns Honorable Mention All-Conference players Tobias Gerber and Daniel Gylfason.
 
The most impressive player for ERAU so far in 2015, despite a small sample size, has been junior midfielder Moriba Ballah.  Ballah scored twice in the Eagles first match as a provisional member of NCAA Division II, a 3-1 win for Embry-Riddle over Southeastern.
 
Saturday's match will undoubtedly be a difficult challenge for Thomas, but the Night Hawks' confidence figures to be sky high after the gritty Labor Day victory over William Carey.  Thomas displayed a remarkable ability to go on the front foot against the Crusaders, despite playing a man down for over 90 minutes.  TU manufactured several quality scoring chances with just 10 men, including a dangerous cross in the second overtime that led to a red card for WCU and the match-winning penalty for Abt.
 
The Night Hawks have also been sound defensively, allowing just four goals in four matches despite playing a man down on multiple occasions.
 
Just three matches remain for Thomas University before the first in-season NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll and should the Night Hawks win all three, the team figures to reside near the top as one of the best teams in the nation.  Saturday's match against Embry-Riddle represents another opportunity for the Night Hawks to assert themselves as one of the top teams in the NAIA.  The match will be TU's final road contest before conference play begins.  First touch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
 
For up-to-date information on this match and other TU Athletics, visit http://www.TUNightHawks.com. Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, play-by-play, and feature stories of your TU men's soccer team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksMSocc.