Under the Lights at GSW

Men's soccer team score 3-0 against Southern Wesleyan

by Jackson Carlstrom, Editor-In-Chief

On August 25, the Georgia Southwestern Men’s Soccer team opened the 2022 season with a bang, scoring a 3-0 victory over Southern Wesleyan University at the annual “Under the Lights” opening game.

GSW’s “Under the Lights” season opener, presented by Wolf Lodge Plantation, is an event for the whole community, featuring free food, shaved ice, games, giveaways, and a postmatch fireworks show from Southern Sky Fireworks.

“Honestly, I felt good going into the game. We knew that this game against Southern Wesleyan was an important game because it was the first official one: we had to win it to start the season well,” Lucas Bedleg, one of the three athletes who scored during the game, said. “Before the match, I was pretty confident because during the summer preparation we had worked on being able to win matches like this. So I felt ready to play this long awaited match.”

The two teams proved to be of equal grit and determination in the first half of the game, with neither team scoring. Then, in the 49th minute, Matteo Landais scored off an assist from Daniel Gardner Jr, delivering a much-needed boost of adrenaline for the GSW Men’s soccer team after the scoreless first half.

The Men’s Soccer Team celebrates after solidifying their lead with another goal.

The Men’s Soccer Team rode the wave of enthusiasm from their first goal throughout the rest of the game, scoring again in the 80th minute when Lucas Bedleg scored off an assist from Damean Dominguez, bringing the score to 2-0. The Men’s soccer teams solidified their lead later on in the second half when Southern Wesleyan University was given a foul, thus giving the GSW Men’s Soccer team a penalty kick. Daniel Gardner Jr. converted the penalty kick, thus bringing the final score to 3-0.

“It was a nice feeling to score my first collegiate goal,” Gardner Jr. said. “I was thinking I had to score to make up for chances I missed prior, so it was good it went in.”

This week, the Men’s team faces Young Harris, North Georgia, and Lander University. The game stats and season schedule can be found at the GSW Canes website.

Jack Malleret attempts to keep the ball from the opposing team.