ROCHESTER, NY – Graduate student Cuneyt Vardar started his career at Nazareth with a bang, netting a hat-trick in under 14 minutes to help the Golden Flyers open the season with a 7-2 victory over Allegheny on Thursday at Golden Flyer Stadium. In addition, sophomore, Jake Pawlika tied a school record with three assists, while also adding on a goal of his own.
 
Nazareth improves to 1-0 on the season, while the Gators fall to 0-1.
 
The Webster native, who played his collegiate soccer at Division I St. Bonaventure, opened the scoring just 1:05 into the contest. He took a cross off the left wing from Drew Decker and headed it home from the 6-yard box for his first of the day.
 
Just over five minutes later, Pawlika played a perfect pass behind two defenders to Vardar for slotted shot inside the 18-yard box to give Nazareth a 2-0 lead.
 
Following a goal from the Gators near the 11-minute mark, Vardar found the back of the net for the third time just a minute and a half later. He a received a pass from Pawlika, dribbled it in from the corner of the box and placed it in the far side corner.
 
Allegheny hung tough in the first half, netting a goal in the 33^rd minute. The Golden Flyers led 3-2 at the half.
 
Nazareth erupted three more times over the first 11 minutes of the second half, starting with an unassisted goal from Pawlika at 49:08.
 
Nearly four minutes later, Vardar picked up his first assist as a Golden Flyer, finding Decker for the 5-2 advantage.
 
Pawlika was able to notch his third assist of the game on a Sam Smyth tally in the 56^th minute. The assist record was recorded four other times in Golden Flyer history, including in 2021 by Decker vs Sage.
 
The Golden Flyers closed out the scoring in the 70^th minute as sophomore Dominic Marino netted his first collegiate goal on an assist to Matt Bamford.
 
Nazareth held a heavy shot advantage in the game with 30, compared to Allegheny's 16.
 
Goalkeeper Logan Menna racked up nine saves in net.
 
The Golden Flyers return to the pitch on Sunday, traveling to Wells College for a 4 p.m. contest.