Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop scored three unanswered goals in the second half to take a 5-3 victory over a determined USC Upstate squad Wednesday night in non-conference men's soccer action at Eagle Field.

Upstate fell to 1-3-1 on the year with the loss and will return to action Saturday night at 7 when the Spartans host Presbyterian at County University Soccer Stadium. Winthrop improved to 4-2-0 on the year with the win.

The action was fast and furious in the first half with the teams combining to score three goals in the first 20 minutes. Winthrop was the first to crack the scoreboard when the Eagles were awarded a corner kick. The ball was played out and Magnus Thorsson put the shot away on a double assist from Jordi Lluch and Cody Winter in the fourth minute.

Upstate, though, fought right back and got the equalizer in the sixth minute when Tucker Beerman put a header away into the upper left corner on a corner kick. Joe Brinckwirth assisted on the goal. It was Beerman's first goal of his Upstate career after spending the first two years of his collegiate career at Cincinnati State.

Ustate then got a bit of luck in taking the 2-1 lead. With the Spartans pressuring the Eagles, a ball was played forward deep into Winthrop's end of the field. Miscommunication between a defender and Eagle goalkeeper Guilherme Avelar allowed an own goal in the 22^nd minute.

Upstate and Winthrop combined to take 20 shots in the first half with the Eagles owning a 13-7 lead. Winthrop placed seven shots on frame, while the Spartans put five on goal. Hassan Haddad led Upstate with six saves.

Winthrop netted the equalizer early in the second half. After some loose play deep in Upstate territory, Lluch played off a pass to Charles Coulson at the top right of the box about 15 yards out. Coulson slid a low shot into the right side of the net to tie the game.

An entertaining match got even more interesting midway through the second half. Upstate opened a 3-2 lead in the 65^th minute on a counter attack. Leon Schwarzer took the ball down the middle of the field just outside the box. He laid off a pass to Heiko Allmendinger on the left side of the box and Allmendinger sent a shot into the right side of the net just inside the far post. It was Allmendinger's first goal of the season.

Winthrop came right back and netted the equalizer a minute later. Winter lifted a cross into the box and Max Hasenstab put a header in from 10 yards out to tie the match at 3-3 in the 66^th minute.

Winthrop took the lead for the first time since early in the game in the 79^th minute. Patrick Barnes played a low cross to the far post where Jordan Stoddard took one touch and put it into the back of the net to give the Eagles a 4-3 advantage.

With Upstate pressing to tie the match, Winthrop gained possession of the ball and Sean Comer scored from 16 yards out on the right side of the box to give the Eagles a 5-3 lead with just over a minute left in the game.

Winthrop finished with a 22-10 lead in shots, 13-7 in shots on goal, in the match. Haddad finished with eight saves on the night. Marvin Schmiege took a team-high four shots for Upstate, placing all four on goal.

Follow the Spartans on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.