BOILING SPRINGS --- Denzel Clarke (Atlanta, Ga.) celebrated his final match at Greene-Harbison Stadium in style, netting a second-half hat trick to lead Gardner-Webb to a 5-2 come-from-behind victory over Presbyterian in Big South Conference play on Wednesday evening.
Gardner-Webb 3-11-1, 1-5-1 Big South) controlled the run of play for much of the second half, outshooting Presbyterian (1-12, 0-7 Big South) by a 15-8 margin after the Blue Hose held a 14-6 advantage in the opening 45 minutes. With the win, Gardner-Webb moves into eighth in the conference standings, two points ahead of ninth-place UNC Asheville and two behind seventh-place Longwood.
Clarke led the way for Gardner-Webb with his first hat trick of the season and fourth of his career, pacing the Runnin' Bulldogs with nine shots including five on frame. Ali Al-Gashamy (Kristiansand, Norway) and Dustin Peyton (Greensboro, N.C.) each added a goal, as Al-Gashamy and Jascha Gluckschalt (Lautertal, Germany) both tallied an assist. Matthew Swan (Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom) made eight saves in the match for Gardner-Webb.
Ignacio Monchetti and Max Smith found the back of the net for Presbyterian in the contest, as Mason Lewis added an assist and took a team-high seven shots, including five on frame. Steven Huppe also tallied an assist while Johnny Archer made seven saves.
Al-Gashamy got the Runnin' Bulldogs off to a flying start early on in the 11th minute, stepping around a defender and blasting a finish low and past the keeper to give Gardner-Webb a 1-0 advantage. The Blue Hose drew level less than four minutes later, knotting the score at 1-1 after Smith equalized off a pass from Huppe in the 14th minute.
Presbyterian snatched their first lead of the match midway through the 32nd minute, when Monchetti put the Blue Hose's noses in front with an open net finish after Lewis' cross put him in behind the keeper.
The Runnin' Bulldogs stormed back in the second half, netting the equalizer just over a minute into the period when Peyton's long ball from 35 yards out found its way inside the far post to pull Gardner-Webb level at 2-2.
Clarke would put Gardner-Webb in front for good midway through the 53rd minute, pocketing his second goal of the season with a curling finish to the far post off a perfectly weighted cross from Al-Gashamy. The senior forward doubled his tally later on in the 69th minute, pouncing on the rebound from his initial shot before putting Gardner-Webb up 4-2 with a curling finish inside the far post.
Clarke nearly netted his third six minutes later, attempting an ambitious bicycle from 15 yards that was easily scooped up by Archer.
Swan made perhaps his best save of the match midway through the 79th minute, denying Lewis with a diving stop at the near post to keep the Runnin' Bulldogs in front, 4-2.
Clarke would find his third and cap the night's scoring in the 87th minute, running onto a long ball over the top from Gluckschalt and delivering a brilliant side-footed finish past the keeper to equal the final margin of 5-2.
Gardner-Webb returns to the pitch on Saturday, traveling to High Point, N.C. to take on third-place High Point in Big South play at 7:00 pm.
