Glendale, Ariz.- Less than a week after unleashing five goals on Life Pacific, the Lady Firestorm came back down to earth and were blanked 2-0 by the Vanguard University Lions. Cami Mercado, shot leader for ACU (70), tallied five in this contest but, like the score relays, could not convert one into a goal. With one final GSAC game remaining on Saturday, the Firestorm are a lock in the GSAC Championship but their positioning is still undetermined.

Score: Arizona Christian 0, Vanguard 2
Records: Arizona Christian 9-4-1 (4-2-0) | Vanguard 7-3-4 (3-2-1)
Location: ACU Football Field - Glendale, AZ

STAT TRACKER

Cami Mercado - 5 shots, 1 on goal
Justyne Underwood - 2 shots, 1 on goal
Shayla Mobo - 1 shot
Cadence Peroff - 1 shot
Venecia Torres - 1 shot
Tayler Wonderly - 3 saves

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

From the get-go, the Vanguard Lions demonstrated a high level of aggression and Alyssa Fong earned a corner kick just over a minute into play. In the first 24 minutes, Vanguard outshot the Firestorm 7-1, with one shot on target from Hailey Garvin that ACU's Tayler Wonderly managed to garner for the first save of the match. 

The ACU defense held firm, and had their first legitimate scoring chance in the 34th minute. Venecia Torres, who had subbed in for Grace Carney just seconds earlier, nearly headed in the first goal of the match, but her attempt sailed just high. Instead, it was the Lions who broke the scoreless game in the 40th minute, as Jena Howard converted a goal thanks to an assist from Kaitlyn Currier. Before the first period came to an end, the Firestorm had one last shot at a score, as Justyne Underwood sent in a corner kick and Cami Mercado fired a shot over the crossbar.

Underwood recorded the first shot attempt of the second half, which drifted wide left. Wonderly retained her focus from the opening period and saved a shot drilled by Howard, the Lions' goal scorer. Both Underwood and Mercado were able to challenge the Vanguard goalkeeper Jordin Holmquist-Wilder for the first time in the match in the 61st and 67th minute, but to no avail. 

Two more corners were gifted to Underwood, but no threat resulted from the sent-in balls. Wonderly retrieved her third save after an on-target try from Garvin, however, the scoring run was not yet over. The ball remained dangerously in the box and though Howard would have a header blocked, it was redirected the feet of Payton Sak and she scored from point-blank range in the 84th minute.

The Firestorm were unable to muster another shot, and were left with a 2-0 scoreboard staring back at them. ACU fell to 1-3-1 at home.

NEXT MATCH

The Lady Firestorm hope to finish the regular season with momentum heading into the GSAC Championship, as they match up against The Master's on Saturday and celebrate Senior Day. Kickoff will be at 1:30 PM, ACU still retaining the opportunity to win the GSAC regular-season title with a win and losses or ties by OUAZ and Hope International. Follow the action with live stats at https://acufirestorm.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary and watch the game at https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/. 



Roll Storm!