WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Two goals in the first 10 minutes propelled the No. 12-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College men’s soccer team to a 3-0 season-opening victory at Grace College (Ind.) on Thursday evening.
Junior Krishna Clarke tallied two of GGC’s three first-half goals. He scored the team’s first goal of the season in the seventh minute, after stealing the ball and beating the Lancers’ goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. Clarke added a second goal in the 10th minute, with an assist from freshman Ilan Adam, to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
Sophomore Aoci Pilipili found the back of the net in the 30th minute, after receiving a pass from senior Sagi Hirsch, for GGC’s third goal of the opening half.
The Grizzlies were quite efficient offensively in the opener, having three tallies in four shots of the first 45 minutes of action. Six of the team’s seven shots made it to the opposing goal in the match.
Meanwhile, GGC junior goalkeeper Matija Gligorovic made five saves in registering the shutout – the 11th of his collegiate career. Eight of Grace’s 10 shots came in the second half, when the hosts made an all-out effort to get back into the match.
Georgia Gwinnett College won its season opener for the seventh time in the program’s eight seasons.
Coach’s Corner
“You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, being up 2-0 in the first 10 minutes. The guys played really well. It was a total team effort, with Matija making two big saves in the second half. Overall, everybody did their part in this victory,” said Head Coach Steve DeCou.
Turning Point
The visiting Grizzlies struck twice in the first 10 minutes to grab early momentum in the season opener. In the seventh minute, junior Krishna Clarke stole a ball and beat the Grace goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation for the first tally. He added a second goal three minutes later.
Goals
7’ – Krishna Clarke, GGC (unassisted)
10’ – Krishna Clarke, GGC (Ilan Adam)
30’ – Aoci Pilipili, GGC (Sagi Hirsch)
Inside The Numbers
- Six of GGC’s seven shots made it to Grace’s goal
- The Grizzlies registered five corner kicks
- Junior Krishna Clarke recorded a match-high three shots for the Grizzlies
- Junior Matija Gligorovic had his 11th career shutout
News & Notes
- GGC won its 2019 season opener; Grace falls to 1-1 this fall
- The Grizzlies improved to 7-0-1 in season openers
- Georgia Gwinnett College was ranked No. 12 in the NAIA preseason poll
- Thursday’s match marked the first meeting between the two programs
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College continues its Indiana trip with a match against Huntington University on Saturday, Aug. 24, at 4 p.m.