The No. 22-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College women's soccer team controlled the statistics, but host No. 13 Life University (Georgia) scored a 4-2 victory in Wednesday evening's top-25 showdown in Marietta, Georgia.
The Grizzlies (1-1-0) outshot Life (1-0-1) by a 20-9 margin. After trailing early, the hosts scored three straight goals across the first and second halves to build a 3-1 advantage.
A distant shot from sophomore
Hannah Lorenz trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the 75th minute.
However, Life's Caroline White sealed the triumph four minutes later with a goal that found the back of the net following a scramble play in front of the GGC goal.
Phoenix Parks scored a goal and provided an assist to lead the Running Eagles' offensive attack. She delivered a pass to Louise Martineau during the 14th minute to square the match, at 1-1. Parks found the back of the net in the 57th minute following a crossing pass from Kayla McMillian.
GGC took a quick 1-0 lead in the 10th minute when a defensive miscue by Life led to an own goal. The team then surrendered an own goal of its own during the 26th minute as Life took a 2-1 halftime lead.
Wednesday's match was the first of eight matches this season for the Grizzlies against teams featured in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll.
Lorenz attempted a match-high seven shots and junior
Nova Eskelinen added four shots. Sophomore
Barbora Kadlecova registered three shot attempts in the setback.
Coach's Corner
"We competed extremely hard tonight. In the second half we got back to playing our style and it got us within a goal. Life hasn't been outshot by a margin like this (20-9) in years. They play with tremendous pace. Some of the goals we gave up came through correctable mistakes. We are going to be fine," said Head Coach
Dr. Mike Giuliano.
Turning Point
Minutes after GGC trimmed the deficit to one goal, at 3-2, in the 75th minute, Life responded four minutes later as Caroline White capitalized on a scramble play that came in front of GGC's goal. The Grizzlies struck the right post on a free kick from senior
Jade Perrin during the 86th minute.
Goals
10' – Own Goal, GGC (Unassisted)
14' – Louise Martineau, Life (Phoenix Parks and Madelief Lowik)
26' – Own Goal, Life (Unassisted)
57' – Phoenix Parks, Life (Kayla McMillian)
75' –
Hannah Lorenz, GGC (Unassisted)
79' – Caroline White, Life (Madelief Lowik)
Inside The Numbers
- GGC outshot Life by a 20-9 margin, including a 9-7 edge in shots on goal
- Eight different Grizzlies attempted a shot in the contest
- Sophomore Hannah Lorenz scored her team-leading third goal of the season
- The Grizzlies attempted three corner kicks across Wednesday's 90 minutes of action
News & Notes
- GGC drops to 1-1-0 on the season; Life improves to 1-0-1 this fall
- The Grizzlies were ranked No. 22 in the NAIA's Preseason Top 25 poll; Life stood No. 13 in the same poll
- Georgia Gwinnett now leads the all-time series by a 4-2-2 margin
- The team is 7-7-1 all-time in road openers in program history
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host No. 9-ranked William Carey University (Mississippi) on Sunday, August 30, at the Grizzly Soccer Complex, starting at 2 p.m.
