Box Score HENDERSON, Tenn. - Simbarashe Zvaita's hot start to the season continued as the junior recorded his first career hat trick to lead the Freed-Hardeman Lions to a 4-1 win over Pikeville (Ky.) College on Friday night in the Lions' home opener.

Zvaita, who scored all of his goals in the first half, upped his season total to six goals in just four matches as FHU improved to 3-1 on the season.

The Lions maintained possession of the ball for almost the entirety of the first half, outshooting Pikeville 12-1 in the first 45 minutes. Zvaita's first strike came in the 15th minute, when he took control of a loose ball in the center of the box and opened the scoring with a well-placed shot to the left post.

FHU struck again in the 28th minute when Guilherme Dorigo sent in a perfect cross from the left side to Zvaita, who headed it past Pikeville keeper Sheldon Thomas for his second goal of the night.

The hat trick came in the 39th minute after Zvaita managed to dribble free of the Pikeville defense in front of the goal and easily beat Thomas from six yards out to give the Lions a 3-0 halftime lead.

Zvaita almost added a fourth goal in the 47th minute on what would have been another highlight-reel strike. Nolan Beede headed a long through ball back into the middle to Zvaita, whose header went just inches wide of the right post.

Pikeville got on the board in the 79 minute when Jose Luis Pacheco placed a right-footed shot from close range into the upper left corner against reverse keeper Brandon Mann. The Lions got the goal back moments later when Beede put back a rebound off a hard shot by Ryan Engineer in the 87th minute for the match's final score.

The Lions used all three keepers in the match, with starter Alexandre Girodo stopping the only shot he saw. Freshman Hunter Yoches posted three saves in 34 minutes.

Freed-Hardeman returns to action at 8:00 PM on Saturday against Central Baptist (Ark.) College, an 8-2 winner over Johnson Bible (Tenn.) College earlier in the day.