Coastal Carolina upsets #18 Old Dominion, 5-2

Coastal Carolina men’s soccer took down the 18th-ranked Old Dominion Monarchs 5-2 on Saturday, Oct. 14, in Norfolk, Virginia. Senior forward Martin Melchor got his first hat trick in his Coastal Carolina career, scoring three of Coastal’s five goals of the night. Melchor talked about what it was like to get his first collegiate hat trick. "Getting a hat trick is a special feeling whether it's against a ranked opponent or in a pick-up game," said Melchor. "It was my first college hat trick, so that made it even more special. In the end, it's just great to know that it helped the team to get a huge win on the road." Melchor wasted no time getting the scoring underway, finding the back of the net in the 2nd-minute. Coastal then added another in the 14th-minute as junior midfielder Romario Piggot netted his third goal of the season. The Chanticleers went into the halftime break with a 2-0 lead over a top 25 opponent. The Chanticleers were hoping to not have what happened in their matchup against ODU last season. The Monarchs had a 2-0 lead with over 10 minutes to play, and then the Chanticleers stormed back to win 3-2 over the Monarchs. It seemed as if that was going to happen as the Monarchs got on the board two minutes in, scoring from a penalty kick. Old Dominion would then tie things up just before the 70th-minute. Melchor gave his thoughts as to what was going on in his head when the Monarchs grabbed an equalizer. "They were gaining momentum and all I thought about was looking for an opportunity to at least get a shot on goal to get us back in the game," said Melchor. "I was fortunate enough to have the shot that got us back in the lead." It didn’t take long for Coastal to regain the lead, and Melchor would grab his second goal of the night just five minutes later, belting a rocket of a shot into the net, making it 3-2 Coastal. Senior forward Louis Dargent got his first goal of the season in the 89th-minute, giving the Chanticleers a 4-2 lead with barely two minutes to spare. Dargent had missed the first eight games of the season due to injury but has definitely made a significant impact on the field in his last four games. Melchor talked about his teammate's impact on the team since he's been back. "Louis' influence is unmatched," said Melchor. "He helps maintain a balance on our team both defensively and on the ball. He gives us so much confidence in the midfield." Melchor would complete his hat trick just 41 seconds later, sealing the Chanticleers 5-2 win over Old Dominion. This was the most goals scored by the Chanticleers all season, and the first time the team had surpassed five goals since defeating former Big South opponent Longwood 7-0 back in November 2014. It was the first time since September 2015 that the Chanticleers defeated their opponent by more than three goals. Melchor talked about what the post- match speech was like from head coach Shaun Docking. "Coach was pleased with the performance, but we all know it is just a small indicator that the work we've been putting in is coming together, and there's no room for easing off," said Melchor. "Especially leading up to a road game at Maryland." The win puts the Chanticleers at 6-6-0 on the year, and the team faces a tough challenge on Friday, Oct. 20, as they travel to College Park, Maryland to take on the number two team in the country, the Maryland Terrapins. The Chanticleers return home to take on William & Mary on Oct. 24. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.