Georgia Gwinnett College Wins 2024 CAC Women’s Soccer Championship in Penalty Kicks

Georgia Gwinnett College captured the 2024 Continental Athletic Conference championship by defeating Bellevue University (Nebraska) 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout after the tournament's top two seeds battled to a 1-1 draw for 110 minutes Wednesday evening at the Grizzly Soccer Complex in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

GGC (12-6-2) captured its seventh conference title since 2017 and will be making its eighth consecutive NAIA national tournament appearance.

The Grizzlies tied the match in the 58th minute after Natalie Maguire stole the ball from a Bellevue defender and beat goalkeeper Alessia Ricciardi in a one-on-one situation.

The match-tying goal came seven minutes after Bellevue (9-5-3) took a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute as Mia Hurt drilled a distant shot past a leaping GGC goalkeeper Ayano Kurosawa.

The top-seeded Grizzlies nearly took a 2-1 advantage in the 67th minute when Cecilie Povlsen sailed a shot just over the crossbar after receiving a left crossing pass from Grace Clark.

Kurosawa, the CAC Goalkeeper of the Year, stopped a shot from Bellevue's Emma Madej in the 70th minute to keep the match deadlocked at a goal apiece.

The tournament hosts registered four shot attempts in overtime, with Maguire almost netting a goal in the closing seconds of the first 10-minute period.

GGC outshot Bellevue by a 15-8 margin in the match, highlighted by seven shots coming during the second half.

In the penalty kick shootout, Georgia Gwinnett College calmly made its first three attempts by Pernilla Westergren, Aurora Miglio and Kurosawa while shooting second in each round. The opportunity for victory opened when Bellevue's Layla Vazquez hit the crossbar to begin the fourth round.

Clark found the back of the net to give the Grizzlies the edge. Then, Thilde Engholm sealed the victory by converting the fifth penalty kick attempt.

Penalty kicks were the deciding factor in a GGC-Bellevue matchup for the second time in the last three seasons, with the Bruins coming out on top in 2022.

With the victory, GGC has claimed the CAC's automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament. NAIA First & Second Round selections will be announced by the national office on Saturday, November 16, at 2 p.m.

2024 Continental Athletic Conference Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team

Most Outstanding Player: Ola Orelesi, Georgia Gwinnett College

Ayano Kurosawa, Georgia Gwinnett College

Riko Yasuzawa, Georgia Gwinnett College

Mia Hurt, Bellevue University

Maju Serrano, Bellevue University

Allyson Johnson, University of Jamestown

Sidney Mikes, University of Jamestown

Ana Santos, Talladega College

Reba Stott, Talladega College

Annabell Norwood, Carolina University

Logan Harvin, Spartanburg Methodist College