COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the first time since 2022, the Ave Maria Men's Soccer team open the season with a win, beating the Columbia International Rams 1-0. Brandon Gomez netted the winning goal, striking in the 57
th minute.
In the opening 45 minutes, the two teams played each other to scoreless tie. The Gyrenes outshot the Rams 6-4 in the first half, with three of those shots being on target. Mateo Rolon logged two of the shots on goal with the other coming off the boot of Karl Sri.
On the other side of the pitch, just one of the Rams four shots were on target, and it was saved by keeper Andrija Vujakovic.
In the second half, Columbia International registered two shots before the Gyrenes got a look at the net, but both went wide of the goal.
When the Gyrenes did get their chance, they made sure to make it count. After recovering the ball from a CIU challenge, junior Mateo Mencos crossed the ball into the box where Gomez was waiting with a wide open look at the net. Gomez chipped the ball over the keeper's head and just inside the top-right corner of the goal for the only score of the game. It is Gomez's second career goal at Ave Maria and Mencos' first career assist.
With over half an hour remaining in the match, the Gyrenes tightened up defensively to preserve their 1-0 lead. They allowed the Rams just two more shots for the rest of the game. One was directed on net, but Vujakovic was there to make his second save of the game.
Columbia International got one final look in the 90
th minute of the game, but a strong defensive play forced the Rams out of the box and the Gyrenes were able to clear the ball and end the game.
In net, Vujakovic turned in his first clean sheet of the year, posting a two-save shutout. It is his sixth career shutout at Ave Maria, giving him now two more than any other goalie in program history.
With the win, Ave Maria starts the year off 1-0. It is the first time since 2022 that the Gyrenes have won their season opener, when they beat Florida College 4-1. In the three season since, Ave Maria had gone 0-1-2 in season openers.
The Gyrenes will stay in the Carolinas for their second match of the season, however they will go from South Carolina to North Carolina. Ave Maria will take on the Carolina Bruins Saturday, Augst 22. It will be the first ever meeting between the two programs with Carolina joining the NAIA in 2024. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Carolina Bruins website, the link to which can be found the Men's Soccer Schedule page.
