The No. 23-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College women's soccer team dropped its second straight match against a nationally-ranked opponent, losing to No. 7 University of Tennessee Southern 4-1 Saturday afternoon in Foley, Alabama.

The Firehawks, the 2021 NAIA national champions, scored two goals in each half. The first pair came in the final 15 minutes of the first half. Estelle Badoedana Ek tallied the first goal after receiving a pass from Yuki Watari in the 29th minute.

Then, Anais Stephany scored in the 38th minute to give Tennessee Southern a 2-0 halftime advantage.

The Firehawks (4-2-0) added a pair of penalty kick goals by Watari in the 53rd and 68th minutes before the Grizzlies finally responded with a tally.

Sophomore Arley Valle scored her first collegiate goal in the 73rd minute after receiving a pass from junior Miranda Robinson. The Grizzlies (2-2-5) had a penalty kick saved by Tennessee Southern goalkeeper Layken Stockstill in the 86th minute.

The Firehawks outshot GGC by a 13-6 margin in the match with 11 of their 13 shots being on goal. Sophomore Damaris Gaines led the team with two shots, while senior Addie Adame joined junior Pernilla Westerngren, Robinson and Valle each with one shot on Saturday.

GGC opened the southern trip with a 4-0 loss to No. 1 Keiser University (Florida) on Thursday.  
 
"We're a good soccer team that's not very well coached right now. We'll make the necessary adjustments and get this sorted out. I believe something special is still in store for this team this season," said Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano.
 
A pair of penalty kick goals from Tennessee Southern's Yuki Watari in the second half gave the Firehawks a 4-0 lead with 22 minutes remaining in the contest. That deficit was too much to overcome despite the No. 23-ranked Grizzlies scoring a goal from sophomore Arley Valle in the 73rd minute and having a penalty kick attempt saved with less than five minutes remaining in the match.
 
29' – Estelle Badoedana Ek, UTS (Yuki Watari)
38' – Anais Stephany, UTS (Gabrielle Forsythe)
53' – Yuki Watari, UTS (Penalty kick)
68' – Yuki Watari, UTS (Penalty kick)
73' – Arley Valle, GGC (Miranda Robinson)
 

• Tennessee Southern held a 13-6 shot advantage in the match, including an 11-3 margin in shots on goal
• The Grizzlies attempted three corner kicks
• Sophomore Arley Valle scored her first collegiate goal during the second half

• GGC falls to 2-2-5 on the season, while Tennessee Southern improves to 4-2-0 this fall
• Georgia Gwinnett College stood No. 23 in the latest NAIA Top 25 regular season poll; Tennessee Southern was No. 7 in the same poll
• The Firehawks have won all four meetings in the series, with Saturday's encounter being the first since the 2019 campaign
• GGC is 1-2-2 this season against nationally ranked opposition

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to Thomas University on Wednesday, September 21, from Thomasville, Georgia, starting at 4 p.m.