AIKEN, S.C. – The USC Aiken women’s soccer team put forth a valiant and spirited effort in its match with No. 18 Armstrong Atlantic State on Wednesday, but a hat trick by Kristin Burton would be all that the Pirates would need in a 3-1 Peach Belt Conference victory over USC Aiken at the “Pacer Pit.”

Behind a boisterous student section featuring the student athletic booster club, the Pacer Fanatics, the USC Aiken women’s soccer team took control of the match in the final 20 minutes or so of the contest on Wednesday.

The Pacer pressure culminated in Maria Frontroth (Buenos Aires, Argentina/BBS) netting her first goal in a Pacer uniform at the 69:52 mark on a pass from Alie Brady (Summerville, S.C./Summerville).

The Pacers kept pushing and eventually ended the second half outshooting the Pirates, 6-4. The Pacers held a 3-0 advantage in the half in corner kicks due to the constant pressure. USC Aiken held an 11-10 shot advantage over the Pirates in the match overall.

The three goals by Burton in the end would be too much for the Pacers to overcome. Burton scored her first goal of the match in just the fifth minute. She added a second just over 30 minutes into the match before ending the Pirates’ scoring in the contest by placing the ball in the lower left corner of the net at the 60:08 mark. Burton enters the Pirates’ next match with 17 goals on the year.

After the third and final Burton tally, USC Aiken turned things dramatically in its favor, but USC Aiken could not find the back of the net two more times despite some quality chances, leaving Armstrong Atlantic perfect in the PBC with a 4-0 mark. The nationally-ranked Pirates are now 8-1-2 overall.

USC Aiken dropped to 2-6 on the year with the loss. The Pacers, which are 0-3 in the league action, will be looking for their first PBC win in their next match against new league foe Flagler. The Pacers and Saints are slated to kick-off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 from the "Pacer Pit."