AIKEN - After stormy conditions delayed the start of the match by over an hour, USC Aiken and Newberry College finally took the field and kicked off their 2006 seasons on Thursday evening in Aiken, S.C.

The Indians (1-0-0) scored in the opening minute and added a second half tally en route to the 2-0 win over the Pacers (0-1-0) in non-conference men's soccer action. 

Debola Ogunseye (Lagos, Nigeria) received a superb cross in front of the net, 10 yards out, from Edsel Rudder (Arima, Trinidad) to put it home just 48 seconds in as Newberry grabbed the 1-0 lead. The goal was Ogunseye's first in a Newberry uniform, and set the early tone for the match.

"It was not a bad start to the season, but there were too many cards," Newberry head coach Sam Okpodu said. "We had control of the game and it frustrated [USC Aiken], and they reacted with tough tackles, trying to get us kicked out. We must remain calm in those kinds of situations."

The physical match was characterized by 57 fouls and nine cards including Newberry's William Koch (Greenville) receiving a red card in the 71st minute, ejecting him from the match and forcing the Indians to play one man down over the final 19 minutes.

Getting out shot 8-5 and losing the corner kick battle 5-2 in the opening frame, the Pacers found more offensive rhythm in the second half. 

Just over five minutes into the final period, Emmanuel Maduka, the Pacers' leading scorer in 2005, launched a shot from 18 yards out that rocketed just wide of the goal, hitting solidly off the left post. 

To swing the momentum back to the Indians, Jeff Bell (North Augusta) banged home a rebound in front of net in the 57th minute to cap the scoring at 2-0. 

Will Dieterich (Tampa, Fla.) recorded four saves in notching the shutout win. The shutout was the second of Dieterich's Newberry career, leaving him two short of the school's career record held by teammate Bryan Linn. 

"I'm very happy with the outcome," Okpodu said. "But we have to remember that the season is not a sprint, it's a marathon. We've got our first win, now we have to put that behind us and go get our second."

Newberry will host Belmont Abbey in their home opener on Tuesday, August 29 at 2 p.m.