LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (August 26, 2021) – The Truett McConnell University women's soccer team traveled to Georgia Gwinnett College Thursday, where they secured a huge win over top competitor, GGC, with a final score of 2-1. The Lady Bears are now sitting at a perfect record of 2-0 on the season, while the Grizzlies fell to a record of 1-1.
 
Georgia Gwinnett received 71 votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, while the Lady Bears received nine. Both teams were seen making an appearance in this past year's NAIA National Championships.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
GGC set the pace from the start, hitting the board first at the eight-minute mark (0-1). The Lady Bears were not shaken as they made their way to the home side of the field, with Natalie Alamri finding the back of the net in the 17^th minute off a ball sent in by Ashleigh Smitherman to even the score (1-1). Goalie Hope Frady shut the Grizzlies down as they took two more shots on goal, leaving the score 1-1 at the half.
 
The Grizzlies gained momentum in the second half, outshooting TMU eight to five, including two earned corner kicks. The Lady Bears remained composed, striking in the 69^th minute when Eliska Dvorakova fed Amayia Lukie the perfect ball at the top of the box, resulting in Lukie's first goal of her career and TMU stealing the lead (2-1). The Lady Bears stayed resilient on offense and defense, ultimately resulting in a hard-fought victory with a final score of 2-1.
 
LEADERS
Alamri led the way with one goal and two shots on goal, while Lukie recorded a goal of her own. Sophomore Brianna Hernandez had two shots, one on goal, followed by Dvorakova who had one shot and one assist. Smitherman earned a single assist, while freshmen Ashley Johnson and Ruffa Meger had a shot apiece. Senior goalie Hope Frady recorded three saves on the night.
 
COACHES COMMENT
"I'm really proud of the girls tonight. We have played one of the top teams in the NAIA and while the result is pleasing it's the performance, I'm most excited about," said Head Coach David McDowell.

"We've got a lot of new players that have come in and not only embraced what we're about but shown a lot of quality on the field. We've been able to balance that with a group of returners who have taken a lot of ownership in what we're trying to do and excelled. It's a great win but the girls are hungry for more and we'll keep building on this."
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears are back in action Friday, September 3, where they will hit the road to face Mount Vernon Nazarene University, hosted by University of the Cumberlands. Kickoff at 12:00 p.m.