WILMINGTON, Del. - Facing a 3-1 deficit midway through the second half of Saturday afternoon's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) contest, graduate student Thomas Santana (Carmo do Rio Claro, Brazil) recorded back-to-back goals for the Caldwell University Men's Soccer team after opening the second half with a srike for his first collegiate hat trick before a late tally from host Goldey-Beacom College propelled them to a 4-3 result.

With the loss, Caldwell drops to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in conference action. Goldey-Beacom improves to 2-5, 1-2 in league play.

Santana needed only three shots to record the program's first hat trick since the 2017 season.

Graduate student Kevin Avila (Newark, N.J.) and sophomore Alex Spencer (St. Andrew, Jamaica) each tallied one assist, with Avila adding a pair of shots.

Freshman Dylan Valencia (Elizabeth, N.J.) recorded five saves. 

For the Lightning, Tumi Sekhampu scored two goals while Alex Alquier and Alejandro Varela each tallied one goal. Eduardo Coimbra registered two assists for GBC.

Goldey-Beacom took the lead in the 28th minute, adding a second strike in the 43rd minute to head into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

Santana cut the deficit in half off a pass from Spencer in the 50th minute, but a quick response by the host in the 52nd minute created a 3-1 score.

Santana capitalized on a Lightning foul to score his second goal of the outing in the 73rd minute, with Avila finding his teammate in the 80th minute off a corner kick to even the score at 3-all.

GBC scooped up the rebound from a late shot attempt in the 88th minute for the go-ahead score. 

Caldwell took 13 shots, six on target, while Goldey-Beacom fired 15 with five on frame.

Goldey-Beacom held an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Caldwell received three cautions while GBC was given two.

The Cougars return to their home field on Tuesday, Oct. 5 to host Felician University with kickoff slated for 4 p.m.