Shiel’s Hat Trick Powers Trevecca Past Delta State, 3-1
NASHVILLE, TN - Daniel Shiel delivered a landmark performance Saturday afternoon, scoring all three goals as Trevecca Nazarene men’s soccer defeated Delta State 3-1 at Trojan Soccer Complex. The junior forward’s first career hat trick propelled the Trojans to their eighth win of the season and solidified their place near the top of the Gulf South Conference standings.
Trevecca controlled the early tempo and broke through in the 19th minute. After a collision in the box, officials awarded a penalty kick. Shiel stepped up and coolly converted, sending the ball past diving Statesmen goalkeeper Daniel Santema for a 1-0 lead. The successful attempt extended Trevecca’s perfect streak from the penalty spot to 17 consecutive conversions.
Less than three minutes later, Shiel struck again. A quick throw-in found Chris Douglas, who fed Shiel in the box. The Northern Ireland native finished off Santema’s left hand to make it 2-0 in the 21st minute, with assists credited to Douglas and Judah Jones.
Delta State pulled one back in the 33rd minute when Trevecca goalkeeper Hunter Walker was whistled for a foul in the area. Callum Black converted the resulting penalty, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Despite the setback, Trevecca maintained territorial control and outshot the Statesmen 14-3 in the first half.
The second half remained tense until the 79th minute. After Delta State’s Tazjean Bird received a red card, Haden Brown delivered a free kick into the box. Shiel rose above the defense and headed home the insurance goal, completing his hat trick and restoring a two-goal cushion at 3-1.
Trevecca finished with a decisive 22-8 advantage in total shots and a 12-6 edge in shots on goal. Walker earned the win with five saves, improving to 8-1-2 on the season. Santema made nine saves in the loss for Delta State.
The victory marked Trevecca’s first home win over Delta State and improved the Trojans’ all-time series record to 2-0-1 against the Statesmen since joining the GSC in 2024.
With the result, Trevecca Nazarene stands at 8-1-2 overall and 3-1-2 in Gulf South Conference play. The Trojans sit alone in third place in the GSC standings, two points behind Alabama-Huntsville and five points behind league-leading Auburn-Montgomery. The win also moved Trevecca within one victory of the program’s NCAA Division II-era single-season wins record of nine, set in 2012.
The Trojans return to action Wednesday evening when they travel to face Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
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