Box Score WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Bristol Countess bagged her fourth goal in three matches on Sunday morning, but it wouldn't be enough as third-ranked Keiser rallied with three second half goals to pull out a 3-1 victory over Georgia Gwinnett at Arrigo Vecellio Field.
"We had a really terrific opportunity to take on a top notch team like Keiser, and I'm proud of how we stepped up and took it head on," GGC head coach Chris Kouns said. "We wanted to go at them and apply a lot of pressure, and I was really pleased with how the team approached the game and such a huge task. We didn't get the result that I would've liked, but everyone had to be warriors today, and the team put together a really concerted effort."
With the loss, GGC dropped to 2-2 on the year while Keiser moved to 3-1. The only loss for the Seahawks this season came in overtime fashion to 10th-ranked Mobile.
Countess, who has now scored in three consecutive matches, fired the opening salvo in the game's 31st minute, finding the back of the net off of a well-worked free kick. Meanwhile, Grizzly goalkeeper Courtney Hicks put together a strong first half in her first career start, tallying four saves to give the Green and Gray a 1-0 lead at the break.
"It was a good first half for us, and I'm really proud of how the back three of Amanda Yarger, Jessica Beasley and Mary Vernetti played," Kouns said. "They were on an island sometimes against some of the best players in the country, and they held their own. Obviously it was another good day for Bristol as well, and I think she's definitely benefitting from how we play. She worked really hard to improve this summer and it shows."
It wouldn't take long after the half for the Seahawks to mount the comeback as Johanna Engberg leveled the match in the 47th minute, and Sara Lundberg put the hosts ahead for good with a header in the 69th. Amanda Blixt, who assisted the second goal, picked up a score of her own in the 90th to secure the result for the Seahawks.
The Grizzlies will return to action next Sunday with a match against Milligan. Kickoff from Grizzly Soccer Complex is slated for 1 p.m.
NOTES: Bristol Countess is the first Grizzly to score in three consecutive matches since Bethany Johnson accomplished the feat in matches against Cumberlands, Tennessee Wesleyan and Tennessee Temple last October … GGC is now 0-4 all-time vs. Keiser (previously Northwood) and 0-5-1 against teams that hail from the state of Florida … The Grizzlies have lost to Keiser in 3-1 fashion in all four meetings … Kelsey Griswold, a senior has played in all 59 matches in school history … GGC is 12-11-1 all-time in the month of September.
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