The Georgia Gwinnett College men's soccer team scored first in the 2024 Continental Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Championship title match, but top-seeded Bellevue University (Nebraska) responded with two goals to capture the league title with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday evening at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.
Junior
Toufik Najem bent a left corner kick into the back of the Bellevue net in the fourth minute to give the tournament hosts a quick 1-0 advantage.
The Bruins (15-2-2), ranked No. 7 in the final NAIA poll, evened the contest at 1-1 on a penalty-kick goal by Matias Daniel-Doren in the 22nd minute.
Setting the tone early in the match, GGC (11-6-2) outshot the Bruins by a 7-5 margin and registered three corner kicks during the first half.
However, it was Bellevue's turn to score quickly in the second half as Edwin Cisneros drilled a shot into the upper right corner of Georgia Gwinnett College's goal from 25 yards to give the Bruins the 2-1 winning edge.
The Grizzlies managed to attempt eight shots in the second half as they searched for the match-tying goal. Bellevue goalkeeper Taariq Ganga, the 2024 CAC Goalkeeper of the Year, made three quality saves during the second half to keep the team ahead.
Overall, GGC held a 15-8 shot edge, led by Najem with five shot attempts. Freshman
Alejandro Contrera added three shots, while classmate
Kevin Diaz had two shots on Wednesday.
Georgia Gwinnett College advanced to the championship match of the conference tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
Coach's Corner
"We didn't lose, we just ran out of time in this match. This was one of the best final matches that I've ever been a part of and I'm so proud of my guys. Credit to Bellevue for taking advantage of their chances," said Head Coach
Steve DeCou.
Turning Point
GGC grabbed early momentum in the match with the goal off the corner kick in the fourth minute. Meanwhile, the team's defense was limiting Bellevue's offensive chances. The Bruins created momentum down the left side of the formation and drew a foul inside the 18-yard box. They successfully buried the penalty kick in the 22nd minute to tie the match at 1-1.
Goals
4' –
Toufik Najem, GGC (Unassisted)
22' – Matias Daniel-Doren, BU (Penalty kick)
51' – Edwin Cisneros, BU (Matias Daniel-Doren)
Inside The Numbers
- The Grizzlies held a 15-8 shot advantage, including an 8-3 edge during the second half
- Junior Toufik Najem scored his fifth goal of the season on Wednesday
- GGC recorded four corner kicks across the 90 minutes of action
- Sixteen different Grizzlies appeared in the championship match
News & Notes
- GGC drops to 11-6-2 this fall; Bellevue improves to 15-2-2 in 2024
- The Grizzlies received votes in the final regular season NAIA Top 25 poll; Bellevue stood No. 7 in the same poll
- The team advanced to the conference tournament championship match for the first time since 2020-21
- Georgia Gwinnett College stood as the tournament's No. 2 seed; Bellevue was the No. 1 seed
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College awaits its postseason fate in hopes of grabbing an at-large bid to the NAIA national tournament. NAIA First & Second Round selections will be announced by the national office on Saturday, November 16, at 3 p.m.
