GREENSBORO, N.C. – Fresh off of its first victory of the season, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer team visits in-state opponent Gardner Webb in a non-conference contest Wednesday night.
 
UNCG will be aiming to spoil the Bulldogs' home opener. The game will not be streamed. This will be the fourth meeting between the two programs since 2009 and first since 2011. UNCG has won all three matchups including a 4-0 victory on Sept. 24, 2011 in Greensboro.
 
The Spartans defeated Belmont Abbey, 4-1, last Wednesday at home. Fernando Garcia led the way for UNCG with two goals and an assist. Mani Austmann and Matthew Cutler assisted on Garcia's first goal.
 
Freshman Theo Collomb added an assist and scored his first collegiate goal on a penalty kick in the 89th minute. UNCG recovered from a quick 1-0 deficit.
 
Holding a 13-4 shooting margin at the halftime break, UNCG went on to outshoot the Crusaders 21-1 in the final 45, to finish with a total of 34, the most the team has registered since pulling the trigger 37 times against VMI back in October of 2016.
 
The Bulldogs have split their first two matches, beating SoCon foe Virginia Military Institute, 5-0, to start the season and dropping a 4-1 decision in their Big South opener against High Point. In the match Gardner-Webb took eight shots on the night, with six of those coming in the first half and just two in the second. 
 
Following its victory over VMI, Gardner-Webb senior midfielder Abel Gebrekiros was named the Big South Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, and defender Samuel Catherall earned Big South Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
 
Gebrekiros, who was also named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week,  netted two goals in Gardner-Webb's victory over VMI.
 
UNCG returns home to face Elon on Sunday evening at 6 p.m.