Freshman Hugo Luengo headed in his second goal of the season to lift the Georgia Gwinnett College men's soccer team to close out the Labor Day Grizzly Classic with a 1-0 victory against Rocky Mountain College (Montana) on Monday afternoon at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.

GGC (5-0-0) is off to its best start to a season since the 2020 campaign. Monday's triumph marked the third 5-0-0 start in program history.

Freshman Kevin Diaz delivered a free kick crossing pass from the left side to Luengo at the top of the six-yard box. He proceeded to deflect the ball into the back of the net in the 57th minute for the match's lone goal. Luengo scored following a corner kick on a header in the team's season-opening win against SCAD Savannah (Georgia) on August 17.

The Grizzlies posted their third straight shutout with Monday's performance. The team allowed just one shot and no corner kicks across the 90 minutes of action. Junior goalkeeper Dagoberto Romero stopped the opponent's lone attempt in the 76th minute to preserve the shutout.

GGC has surrendered just six shots during the current shutout streak.

Meanwhile, the hosts generated 14 shots against Rocky Mountain (0-2-0) with seven shots being on goal. Freshman Juan Hermenegildo struck the left post with a shot in the 47th minute. Luengo nearly scored his second goal of the match in identical fashion, but his header off another Diaz free kick hit the right goal post in the 69th minute.

Ten of GGC's 15 goals have been scored by freshmen this season.

Sophomore Joshua Orue and freshman Alejandro Contrera joined Luengo in leading the offensive attack with three shot attempts each.


  "Our pressure got to them in the second half. We created chances, but we need to be better at finishing in front of the goal. I'm pleased with our defensive performance again, allowing only one shot. We have a lot of confidence and are playing well. The guys know that there are things to work on and that's always a good sign," said Head Coach Steve DeCou.
The Grizzlies turned a foul along the left sideline into the match's lone goal as freshman Kevin Diaz delivered a free kick toward the six-yard box. Classmate Huge Luengo leaped above all of the bodies in front of the goal to head the ball into the back of the net in the 57th minute. GGC's pressure in the first half and early moments of the second half led to the opposing defensive foul.
  57' – Hugo Luengo, GGC (Kevin Diaz)
 

• The Grizzlies outshot Rocky Mountain by a 14-1 margin, highlighted by seven shots being on goal
• Freshman Hugo Luengo scored his second goal of the 2024 season
• GGC recorded seven corner kicks and did not allow a corner kick across the 90 minutes of action
• Sophomore Joshua Orue and freshmen Alejandro Contrera and Hugo Luengo led the team with three shots apiece

• GGC improves to 5-0-0 on the season; Rocky Mountain falls to 0-2-0 in 2024
• The Grizzlies received votes in the first NAIA Top 25 poll of the 2024 regular season
• Monday's match marked the first meeting between the two programs
• The team achieved its third 5-0-0 start to a season in program history (others came in 2020 and 2017)

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play No. 25-ranked Lindsey Wilson College (Kentucky) on Thursday, September 5, in Columbia, Kentucky, starting at 8 p.m.