NCAA Men

Bjornsson’s Hat Trick Lifts No. 20 Duke Over UC San Diego

Grand Canyon

LA JOLLA, CALIF. – Sophomore Ulfur Bjornsson notched his second career hat trick on Sunday evening in La Jolla, California, as No. 20 Duke (1-0-1) men’s soccer picked up its first victory of the season, 3-2, over UC San Diego (0-2-0).
 
Junior Drew Kerr assisted on two of the three goals scored by Bjornsson, moving him into the team lead for that category through two matches. 
 
Bjornsson opened the scoring in the 18th minute receiving a pass from Kerr and placing his shot into the bottom right corner for the first goal of the night. After UC San Diego tied the match at one, Bjornsson found the bottom right corner of the net once again, giving Duke the lead midway through the first half. The Iceland, native added his third goal of the evening, tapping in a spilled ball by Nolan Premack to complete his hat trick. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Sophomore Ulfur Bjornsson produced his second goal of the season in the 18th minute, receiving a pass from Drew Kerr and depositing the shot into the bottom right corner, 1-0.
  • In the 21st minute, Andrew Valverde tied the match with a header into the bottom left corner, 1-1.
  • Less than two minutes after UC San Diego tied the match, Bjornsson tallied his second goal of the contest, placing a bicycle kick into the bottom right corner to regain the lead for the Blue Devils, 2-1. The goal was assisted by Kerr for the second time in the match.
  • With both teams feeling out each other at the start of the second half, graduate transfer Colton Pleasants produced…

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