The No. 22-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College women's soccer team plays its first match of the season against a nationally ranked opponent when the Grizzlies travel to No. 13 Life University on Wednesday, August 26, in Marietta, Georgia, starting at 7 p.m.
GGC (1-0-0) is scheduled to face eight teams that were featured in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 national poll. Wednesday's contest also marks the team's first road match of the season.
The in-state foes will be playing for the fifth consecutive season, with the teams battling to a dramatic 3-3 draw last year in Lawrenceville. The Running Eagles squared the contest with a goal in the final 10 minutes after GGC rallied from a 2-1 deficit early in the second half to take the lead.
The Grizzlies are coming off a challenging preseason, winning three scrimmages, before opening the 2026 campaign with a 4-0 home triumph against Montreat College (North Carolina) last Saturday.
Sophomore
Hannah Lorenz is the reigning Continental Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a pair of goals against Montreat. She registered nine shots during the season-opening performance.
Classmate
Barbora Kadlecova also found the back of the net last Saturday and helped anchor a defensive performance that limited the opposition to four shot attempts. Sophomore
Alliyah Rosales rounded out the team's balanced scoring attack with a first-half tally in the victory.
Senior
Rirei Sasaki and junior
Eva Norris split time protecting GGC's goal. Sasaki earned the start and collected one save across the opening 45 minutes before Norris secured the shutout by recording two saves during the second half.
Life (0-0-1) opened the season with a 1-1 draw at SCAD Savannah (Georgia) on Sunday. Louise Martineau netted the team's lone goal in the 88th minute after the Running Eagles allowed a goal during the 76th minute. Martineau attempted a match-high six shots. Victoria Valles managed four shots in Sunday's match. Goalkeeper Elora Niederpruem played all 90 minutes and made six saves from seven shots on goal.
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LIVE STATS
FIRST WEEKLY HONOR
Sophomore
Hannah Lorenz scored two goals against Montreat and attempted nine shots to earn the first Continental Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week award of the 2026 season. She has scored seven goals across the last five matches, dating back to the 2025 season.
RANKED SHOWDOWN
Wednesday's contest is the first of eight opponents featured in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll that the Grizzlies are scheduled to play this season. Then, GGC also will host No. 9 William Carey University (Mississippi) on Sunday, August 30, starting at 2 p.m.
CLEAN SHEET IN OPENER
Senior
Rirei Sasaki and sophomore
Eva Norris combined to shut out Montreat College (North Carolina) last Saturday with each playing as goalkeeper for 45 minutes. Sasaki, the 2025 Continental Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, started the match and then Norris, a NCAA Division II transfer, made two saves during the second half. GGC posted six shutouts last season.
SCOUTING THE RUNNING EAGLES
Life (0-0-1) opened the season with a 1-1 draw at SCAD Savannah (Georgia) on Sunday. Louise Martineau netted the team's lone goal in the 88th minute after the Running Eagles allowed a goal during the 76th minute. Martineau attempted a match-high six shots. Victoria Valles managed four shot attempts in the match. Goalkeeper Elora Niederpruem played all 90 minutes and made six saves from seven shots on goal.
SERIES HISTORY
The Grizzlies have won four of the seven all-time meetings against Life. There have been two draws in the series. The Running Eagles picked up a 1-0 victory in the last meeting, played in Marietta during the 2024 season.
FOLLOW THE GRIZZLIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
GGCAthletics.com will be home for all the current news and information regarding the women's soccer team throughout the fall season. Watch home matches that are broadcast on the Grizzly Digital Network. Download the GGC App to receive schedule updates. For the most up-to-date news and information follow GGC Athletics and GGC Women's Soccer through the following social media: X (@GGCAthletics; @GGC_WSoccer), Facebook (GGCAthletics) and Instagram (GGCAthletics; @ggc_wsoccer).
