Kyara Armenta (#14) returns for her fifth season after leading the Grizzlies with six goals and 13 points during the 2022 campaign

Deep Forward Unit Seeking to Add Scoring Punch for Women’s Soccer

8/15/2023 11:15:00 AM

After outscoring the opposition by a comfortable 11-4 margin for a 2-0-2 record in the first four matches, goals became a struggle during the rest of Georgia Gwinnett College women’s soccer team’s 2022 season.

The Grizzlies only managed to put 13 goals on the scoreboard, with two multiple-goal performances, over the next 16 matches for a frustrating 5-8-7 record that featured a championship match appearance in the Continental Athletic Conference tournament and advancing to the Opening Round of NAIA postseason action for the sixth straight campaign.

Appropriately, the season ended with a 4-0 loss.

GGCAthletics.com continues its preseason position preview series by examining the deep stable of forwards, with five returnees and five newcomers, who are seeking to increase women’s soccer team’s offensive production this fall – starting with a match against Life University (Georgia) on August 23 at 7 p.m. from the Grizzly Soccer Complex.

Senior Victoria Watson delivers a crossing pass in GGC's NAIA First Round match against Southeastern University (Florida)

Senior Kyara Armenta returns for her fifth season in Lawrenceville and led last year’s team with six goals and 13 points. She found the back of the net in three consecutive matches late in the season. Two of her 2022 goals were game-winning goals efforts, including a crucial tally in the CAC tournament semifinal triumph against USC Beaufort.

The New Westminster, Canada, native has scored 20 career goals across 76 matches. She decided to come back for her fifth season following the college’s spring break and near the end of the GGC’s spring practice sessions.

That was welcome news for Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano and the rest of the team.

We’re fortunate that last year’s leading scorer is coming back for a fifth year. Kyara was playing her best soccer at the end of last season, scoring the key goal in both of our conference tournament games,

- Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano, who is preparing for his seventh season in Lawrenceville

Another veteran returnee is senior Victoria Watson, who has scored three goals in each of the past two seasons. She added two assists last fall.

Sophomore Kendra Davis started 14 of the 20 matches she appeared in last fall, scoring one goal and contributing two assists. Classmates Saga Andersson and Rikke Steenhold combined for three goals during their initial collegiate seasons.

These veteran forwards give the Grizzlies important game-day experience for this upcoming season, according to Giuliano.

Sophomore Kendra Davis registered a shot in nine matches during the 2022 season

“I’ve emphasized soccer IQ to this year’s players so that they can break down packed-in opposing defenses. We’re doing a better job at teaching players to recognize those situations. We’re a fast team and that’s why opponents tend to sit back a little bit on us. We need to be able to break that down,” the coach said.

A quartet of freshmen looking to make an impact feature Kika Lapuste, Riko Yasuzawa, Cecile Povlsen, and Lore Van Onsem.

Kika is one of the most coveted recruits we’ve had in years and Riko is another highly talented newcomer. Cecile comes with a lot of credentials as well. They join a forwards group that already was blessed with Victoria (Watson) and Kendra (Davis), who had strong spring practices. If everything comes together, we could be a force up top this season,

- Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano stated before starting fall practice