Reigning third-team NAIA All-American
Ousmane Fall emphatically opened the 2026 season with a hat trick as the No. 5-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College men's soccer team picked up a 5-1 triumph at SCAD Savannah (Georgia) on Friday evening in Hardeeville, South Carolina.
Fall's three goals came during the first 27 minutes of the match. The sophomore struck first in the ninth minute after receiving a pass from the left side of the pitch by senior
Pedro Alejandro.
Fall then tallied unassisted goals in the 22nd and 27th minutes as the Grizzlies (1-0-0) built a 4-1 advantage in the first half.
The team's other scores came from junior
Pedro Nunes, with goals in each half. The first effort came as he drilled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the upper left corner of the goal in the 12th minute. That gave the visitors a quick 2-0 lead. Junior
Djordje Djurasinovic created the scoring opportunity with a crisp pass from the right side of the box.
Nunes added his second tally of the night with an unassisted goal in the final minute of the season opener.
SCAD Savannah (0-1-0) got on the scoreboard in the 18th minute with a goal from Kimi Husler.
Fall opened the season with his second career hat trick, coming as each of his shots in the match found the back of the net. Djurasinovic led the team with six shots, while Nunes and junior
Dylan Cedeno each had three shots on goal as GGC outshot the Bees by a 22-10 margin.
The Grizzlies improved to 13-0-2 all-time in season openers, with victories in five straight years.
Coach's Corner
"This was one of the best starts to a season that we've had in program history. SCAD Savannah has been a team that plays us tough (2-2 draw last year and 2-1 GGC win on the road in 2024) so I am pleased with the 5-1 result. It says a lot about this year's group. We created a lot of chances and there is room for improvement in our finishing," said Head Coach
Steve DeCou.
Turning Point
The Grizzlies scored early and often in Friday's season opener. Sophomore
Ousmane Fall led the charge with a first-half hat trick. He found the back of the net in the ninth minute before scoring unassisted goals in the 22nd and 27th minutes. The early offensive surge gave the visitors a commanding 4-1 halftime lead.
Goals
9' –
Ousmane Fall, GGC (
Pedro Alejandro)
12' –
Pedro Nunes, GGC (
Djordje Djurasinovic)
19' – Kimi Husler, SCAD (Unassisted)
22' –
Ousmane Fall, GGC (Unassisted)
27' –
Ousmane Fall, GGC (Unassisted)
90' –
Pedro Nunes, GGC (Unassisted)
Inside The Numbers
- GGC outshot SCAD Savannah by a 22-10 margin, including a 13-3 edge during the second half
- Sophomore Ousmane Fall registered his second career hat trick
- The Grizzlies attempted four corner kicks across the 90 minutes of action
- Junior Djordje Djurasinovic had a match-high six shots in Friday's match
News & Notes
- Friday's match was the season opener for both teams
- The Grizzlies are ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
- Georgia Gwinnett College now leads the series 6-1-2 against the Bees, including a 4-0-1 mark on the road
- The team has improved to 13-0-2 all-time in season openers
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to play the University of Northwestern Ohio in a neutral-site match on Thursday, August 27, in Dalton, Georgia, starting at 5 p.m.
