The Georgia Gwinnett College women's soccer team opened postseason play with a commanding 7-0 victory Friday afternoon against Washington Adventist University (Md.) in the semifinal round of the Association of Independent Institutions championship tournament at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.
The top-seeded Grizzlies (13-5-1) will now play for its third straight conference title on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m.
GGC scored four times in the first half and added three goals in the opening 10 minutes of the second half to defeat the No. 4-seeded Shock. The seven goals are the second most in a match for the team this season.
Sophomore
Joy Mertzig, the 2019 A.I.I. Player of the Year, scored two goals and added an assist, while freshman
Jenny Stadin provided two assists and found the back of the net once to lead the team's 23-shot offensive attack.
Mertzig opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a shot from the top of the 18-yard box, after receiving a pass from Stadin. Then, a corner kick by Stadin in the 13th minute was converted into a goal by junior
Natalie Ferrin.
Freshmen
Taylor Boyle and
Hannah Martinelli scored goals in the 28th and 39th minutes to extend the host's lead to 4-0. It marked the first collegiate goal for Boyle.
Stadin opened the second-half scoring with a header goal from the edge of the six-yard box in the 52nd minute. The opportunity came from a crossing pass by Mertzig, who added her second goal of the match in the 54th minute. A few minutes later, freshman
Mariana Almanza tallied her first collegiate goal to cap GGC's scoring.
Turning Point
The Grizzlies scored two goals in a two-minute span during the first half to take an early advantage. Both of the scoring opportunities came from freshman
Jenny Stadin. Sophomore
Joy Mertzig drilled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box, after receiving a pass from Stadin. Then, Stadin delivered a corner kick to junior
Natalie Ferrin for the second tally, giving GGC a 2-0 leads 13 minutes into the match.
Goals
11' –
Joy Mertzig, GGC (
Jenny Stadin)
13' –
Natalie Ferrin, GGC (
Jenny Stadin)
28' –
Taylor Boyle, GGC (unassisted)
39' –
Hannah Martinelli, GGC (
Gabby Bishop,
Autumn Carter)
52' –
Jenny Stadin, GGC (
Joy Mertzig)
54' –
Joy Mertzig, GGC (
Carina Vincelli)
56' –
Mariana Almanza, GGC (unassisted)
Inside The Numbers
- Georgia Gwinnett outshot Washington Adventist by a 23-7 margin
- The Grizzlies played all 24 players on their postseason roster
- GGC recorded five corner kicks
- Freshmen Taylor Boyle and Mariana Almanza each scored their first collegiate goals
News & Notes
- GGC improves to 13-5-1 on the season, while Washington Adventist ends the 2019 season with a 6-9 record
- The Grizzlies were the top seed in the four-team postseason event; Washington Adventist stood as the No. 4 seed
- Georgia Gwinnett was ranked No. 14 in the final regular season NAIA Top 25 poll
- GGC is unbeaten over its last six home postseason matches
- The Grizzlies are the two-time defending A.I.I. tournament champions
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College plays in the Association of Independent Institutions championship match on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m.
