Bellevue University (Nebraska) capitalized on a counter scoring attack to score a 1-0 upset of the Georgia Gwinnett College men's soccer team in Friday's semifinal round of the Continental Athletic Conference Soccer Championship tournament at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.
The top seeded Grizzlies (12-2-2) outshot Bellevue (6-10-3) by a 10-5 margin but couldn't manage to get the ball into the Bruins' net. That almost happened twice on GGC shots made in the first half.
Senior
Karim Tmimi hit the left post with a shot in the 31st minute. Then, one minute later, junior
Aleksandar Rajkovic struck the crossbar in front of an open net.
Bellevue goalkeeper Romeo Paparesta also denied a one-on-one scoring opportunity by GGC sophomore
Antoine Ferez in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
The Bruins, the tournament's No. 4 seed, eventually found the back of the net in the 71st minute with a goal by Oumar Sissoko. The scoring chance came on the counter attack with passes from Alvaro Moros Sanz and Fletcher Hedge.
Tmimi led GGC with five shots, with three being on goal in the contest. Rajkovic attempted two shots for the team.
Despite the loss, the No. 5-ranked Grizzlies will be hosting NAIA first- and second-round national tournament matches on Thursday, November 17, and Saturday, November 19. The team's first-round opponent will be announced along with the entire 40-team tournament bracket Monday, November 14, by the national office.
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Coach's Corner
"It's a game of inches. At the end of the day, they (Bellevue) took advantage of a counter to grab the advantage while we hit the post and crossbar in the first half. It is disappointing to lose. We need to take this feeling when we take the field again in the first round of the NAIA national tournament," said Head Coach
Steve DeCou.
Turning Point
Friday's semifinal match was a matter of inches. A shot by senior
Karim Tmimi hit the left goal post in the 31st minute. Then, junior
Aleksandar Rajkovic had a shot, with a wide open net, hit the crossbar one minute later. Meanwhile, Bellevue scored its lone goal of the match following a counter by Oumar Sissoko in the 71st minute.
Goals
71 – Oumar Sissoko, BU (Alvaro Moros Sanz, Fletcher Hedge)
Inside The Numbers
- The Grizzlies had a 10-5 shot advantage across the 90 minutes of action
- Bellevue recorded six corner kicks
- Senior Karim Tmimi attempted a match-high five shots in the match
News & Notes
- GGC is 12-2-2 on the season, while Bellevue improves to 6-10-3 on the season
- Georgia Gwinnett College was the No. 1 seed in the Continental Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Championship; Bellevue was the No. 4 seed
- The Grizzlies were ranked No. 5 in the final NAIA Top 25 poll of the regular season
- GGC has a 3-2 lead in the series with it being tied 2-2 in postseason play
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College will host a first-round match in the NAIA national tournament on Thursday, November 17, at the Grizzly Soccer Complex. The opponent will be announced Monday, November 14, along with the rest of the 4
