The Emory University men's soccer team won its third straight one-goal decision to begin the 2025 season as the Eagles defeated NC Wesleyan, 1-0, Friday night in the opener of the John P. Salamone Invitational on the campus of Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven.
The Eagles ran their record to 3-0 with the win after impressing on the stat sheet with an 18-5 advantage in shots and had a 5-2 edge in shots on goal.
The decisive tally came in the 53rd minute when senior captain Josh Grand converted a penalty kick after drawing a handball from a Battling Bishop defender inside the box. The goal was Grand's first of the season after collecting two assists during the opening weekend.
The goal came following a showcase first half where the Eagles came out strong to the tune of a 10-1 lead in total shots over the first 45 minutes. Emory had saw several scoring chances in the opening half with its best coming within the first five minutes when graduate student Ignacio Cubeddu drawing iron on the crossbar from 60 yards out.
After Grand put the Eagles in front with his PK in the early stages of the first half, freshman Terence Noh almost doubled the Eagles lead in the 70th as he found the left post on an attempt.
Leading by 1-0, the Battling Bishops applied heavy pressure that culminated in three shots over the game's final eight minutes but junior Geoffrey Halpern was able to deny NCW's best opportunity in the 84th minute to preserve his second clean sheet on the season.
Emory will conclude the John P. Salamone Invitational on Sunday with a meeting against Wisconsin Lutheran College starting at 11:00 AM in Brookhaven.
