Aug 24, 2013

The Georgia Gwinnett men’s soccer team picked up a goal from sophomore Martin Lugo for the second time in as many nights en route to a 3-0 victory over Milligan College (Tenn.) in the finale of the GGC Tournament Saturday night in Lawrenceville.

David Burke and Ruud Grol each picked up their first goals of the season for GGC while goalkeeper Lewis Sharpe and the Grizzly defense kept the Buffaloes off the scoreboard.

Georgia Gwinnett (2-0) finished the weekend as the only unbeaten squad in the four-team field, as Thomas University upset No. 5 Auburn-Montgomery earlier Saturday, 1-0.

“Any time you come away with a pair of wins to start the season against two quality teams, it’s a good thing,” GGC head coach Steve DeCou said. “We still have some things we need to work on as we grow together, but we’ll call it a successful start.”

Right at the midway point of the first half, Burke took a feed from teammate Johan Sanchez, skirted along the edge of the box and launched a rocket into the upper corner for the first score of the game.

Sharpe turned away Milligan’s tying effort just before halftime with a quick save on a point-blank header off a corner.

The Grizzlies came out firing in the second half and capitalized when Lugo served a corner kick onto Grol’s head, which the freshman put away in traffic for a 2-0 GGC lead.

Just over a minute later, the Grizzlies were awarded a penalty kick after a foul in the Milligan box. Lugo stepped in and calmly put away the score for the game’s final tally.

Sharpe, another GGC freshman, made four saves in net to keep Milligan (0-2) from climbing onto the scoreboard.

“Lewis is growing in confidence as the games go on,” added DeCou. “Some of our younger guys have an incredible background and their talent is starting to show.”

Lugo has five points through the first two games after scoring in GGC’s opener Friday.

The Grizzlies take their 2-0 record into action next Saturday, hosting Embry-Riddle (Fla.) at 7 p.m. at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.