Louisburg, NC - Cape Fear men's soccer lost 4-3 in a thrilling game on the road. Midfielder Franco Fernandez scored a hattrick.

The Sea Devils entered the game on a two game win streak. Their previous meeting with the Hurricanes of Louisburg was a 6-1 defeat.

Things started well for Cape Fear in 20th minute, as DaShaun Brown and Fernandez combined for the best goal of the season. Brown flipped the ball perfectly to Fernandez, who buried it in the net.

The lead didn't last long, however, as Louisburg scored a minute later to level the score, then took the lead in the 28th minute. The Hurricanes scored another, but the Sea Devils managed to get one back before halftime as Fernandez scored his second in the 39th minute.

The second half went much better for the Sea Devils, who were able to tie the game at 3-3 in the 78th minute. Unfortunately, Cape Fear conceded a foul three minutes later, which resulted in a gorgeous goal from the Hurricanes for the game winner.

Afterwards, head coach C.W. Ponton felt a poor overall first half and minor details decided the game.

"Our first half performance was not good enough, but we controlled a large amount of the second half. We didn't have many major issues, just many small things that added up over the game."

Despite the loss, a few Sea Devils stood out. Fernandez was the offensive leader today, creating constant issues for Louisburg's defense. Midfielder Nathaniel Lorenz controlled the middle of the field on both sides of the ball, while defender Javier Ayala-Davila made an immediate impact in limited minutes, using his speed and work rate to keep the team in the game. Finally, goalkeeper Lucas Gusmao made a number of great saves, and 16 total for the game, to lead the Sea Devils from the back.

Ponton also praised Louisburg for a competitive game.

"I have to commend the Louisburg team and coaching staff for a great well fought game. These are often the hardest to lose because we know we put in the performance that could have won us the game."

Cape Fear falls to 7-4 on the season and 6-4 in conference. Their next game is scheduled for Saturday, October 14th, where they will take on USC Lancaster at home. Gametime is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Courtesy of Nick Denning