KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- UPIKE built a lead short after the kickoff whistle and continued to pile on throughout the first half to beat Johnson University on Monday, 6-1, in a match that was moved to Johnson because of weather concerns.

As is nearly becoming routine, Eric Bernabue contributed most of the scoring in the match with his second consecutive hat trick and third of the season. Only he needed just a half to finish off the feat and added another shortly after halftime to finish with a career-high four goals.

With the win, Pikeville moves to 4-3 on the season which marks the first time that UPIKE has held a winning record this late in the season since the 2009 squad that started 5-3.

Bernabue needed very little time to get to work on the hat trick, scoring in the sixth minute to give UPIKE a 1-0 lead. He finished his hat trick in the 36th minute, sandwiched in between goals from Rze Culbreath and Tindur Asbjornsson as part of a stretch where the Bears scored three times in less than three minutes.

Culbreath's goal is his first of his short soccer career and Asbjornsson's is his second in as many games. UPIKE had 14 shots on goal to Johnson's three throughout the match.

Caleb Moore scored with just over two minutes to go in the match for Johnson to erase UPIKE's shutout.

UP NEXT

The UPIKE men will try to extend its winning record as part of a men's/women's doubleheader with Warren Wilson College on Wednesday. The men's match will be the opener, starting at 4:00 p.m. at Bob Amos Complex with the women's match beginning shortly afterwards.