Scoring a goal in each half, the No. 8-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College men's soccer team defeated Bellevue University (Nebraska) 2-0 Sunday to conclude a productive performance in the inaugural Continental Athletic Conference Classic from the campus of Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

This marked the 11th straight time this season that the Grizzlies (9-1-1) have scored two or more goals in a match. The team also had a 2-1 victory against previously unbeaten Viterbo University (Wisconsin) in Friday's Classic opener.

Sophomore Jason Strambu scored a goal and had an assist to lead GGC's offensive attack. He helped open the game's scoring by completing a long dribble on the counter attack in the 31st minute with a pass to senior Karim Tmimi, who was wide open to finish the play from the six-yard box in front of the Bellevue net.

Tmimi has scored a team-high 12 goals this season and now collected a point in all 11 matches this fall.

Later, Strambu drilled his second goal of the CAC Classic and fourth of the season after converting a crossing pass from junior Marco Panaccione in the 67th minute.

The Grizzlies outshot Bellevue (4-7-3) by a 22-14 margin in the contest, with seven GGC shots being on goal.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ron Boaz made three saves to record his second shutout of the season.

 

Grizzly of the Day: Karim Tmimi vs. Bellevue (Neb.)#GGCAthletics #team11 pic.twitter.com/FgFHwoua5J

— GGC Men's Soccer (@GGC_MSoccer) October 16, 2022

  "It was a typical GGC-Bellevue match. We did a good job of defending them and were able to quickly get back on the attack. The pace that we had up front today allows us to have a very good counter attack. I'm really pleased to come away with two victories from this weekend," said Head Coach Steve DeCou.
                Both of GGC's goals came on the counter attack near the midway point of each half. In the first half, sophomore Jason Strambu dribbled before slotting the ball to the six-yard box, where senior Karim Tmimi buried a shot into the back of the net in the 31st minute. Then, in 67th minute, junior Marco Panaccione delivered a crossing through ball for Strambu, who drilled a shot past the Bellevue goalkeeper.
  31' – Karim Tmimi, GGC (Jason Strambu)
67' – Jason Strambu, GGC (Marco Panaccione)
 

• The Grizzlies outshot Bellevue by a 22-14 margin, with seven shots on goal
• Sophomore Ron Boaz made three saves
• Both teams attempted six corner kicks
• Sophomore Jason Strambu scored two goals and had an assist in the two CAC Classic matches

• GGC improves to 9-1-1 this fall, while Bellevue drops to 4-7-3 in 2022
• Georgia Gwinnett College was ranked No. 8 in this week's NAIA Top 25 poll
• The Grizzlies have won three of the four meetings against the Bruins, with all three prior meetings coming in the championship match of conference tournaments from 2018-20
• The Grizzlies are 5-0-0 in road and neutral site matches this season

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play NCAA Division II Shaw University (North Carolina) in a neutral site contest on Saturday, October 22, from Pineville, North Carolina, starting at 4 p.m.