A pair of first half goals carried No. 3 William Carey University (Mississippi) to a 2-0 victory over No. 24 Georgia Gwinnett College in a matchup of nationally ranked NAIA women's soccer teams Saturday afternoon at the Grizzly Soccer Complex.

The Crusaders (5-1-0) netted a key insurance goal in the 40th minute when Esalenna Galekhutle scored in front of the GGC goal. The tally came after a crossing pass by Alyssia Davis.

Kokona Nishikawa scored an unassisted goal in the 16th minute to open the scoring.

GGC (4-2-1) limited the high-powered William Carey offense to just seven shot attempts during a scoreless second half. Saturday marked just the sixth time in the last 75 matches – a span of four seasons – that the Crusaders have not registered a goal in the second half of a match. William Carey had scored 15 of its last 23 goals in the second 45-minute stanza entering Saturday's match in Lawrenceville.

Junior goalkeeper Ayano Kurosawa made a career-high 11 saves for GGC on Saturday. She previously had 10 saves in a 1-1 draw against then No. 16 SCAD Savannah (Georgia) on September 6.

Five of GGC's eight shots were on goal, with junior Kendra Davis tallying a team-high two shots on target. Senior Ola Orelesi and junior Natalie Maguire each attempted two shots for the Grizzlies.


 
Coach's Corner
"(William Carey) scores twice as many goals in the second halves of its games after making great halftime adjustments. The fact that we controlled play during stretches of the second half says a lot about the effort our team put out there today. If we can pressure a team like William Carey, then we can do it against almost anybody we face. I'm encouraged with the effort and high work rate that we played with today. That's encouraging as we move forward this season," said Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano.
 
Turning Point
The No. 3-ranked Crusaders scored a key insurance goal late in the first half to take a 2-0 halftime advantage. Esalenna Galekhutle found the back of the net after getting the ball in front of the GGC goal. The play was set up by a crossing pass from Alyssia Davis in the 40th minute.
 
Goals
16' – Kokona Nishikawa, WCU (unassisted)
40' – Esalenna Galekhutle, WCU (Alyssia Davis)
 
Inside The Numbers

• William Carey outshot GGC by a 20-8 margin
• Junior Kendra Davis registered two shots on goal to lead the Grizzlies
• The Grizzlies recorded three corner kicks across the 90 minutes of action
• Junior goalkeeper Ayano Kurosawa made a career-high 11 saves on Saturday

News & Notes

• GGC drops to 4-2-1 this fall; William Carey improves to 5-1-0 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 24 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, released on September 11; William Carey stood No. 3 in the same poll
• The Crusaders have won the last six meetings in the series to take a 8-1-1 lead
• GGC is 2-1-1 at the Grizzly Soccer Complex this fall

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to NCAA Division III Oglethorpe University (Georgia) on Wednesday, September 18, in Atlanta, starting at 7 p.m.