WEST DES MOINES, IA – Grand View was unable to solve a fast-starting Graceland squad on Wednesday afternoon, falling 3-0 as the Yellowjackets scored three times in the opening 23 minutes and did enough defensively the rest of the way to make it stand up.
Graceland wasted little time asserting itself, working a pair of early corner kicks and testing Grand View goalkeeper Maya Fritz before breaking through in the 8th minute to make it 1-0. The Yellowjackets doubled the lead just under six minutes later, and by the 22nd-minute mark had made it 3-0, capping a first-half spell in which they piled up eight shots to Grand View's one.
Fritz kept things from getting further out of hand in the first half, turning away a Graceland chance in the 26th minute, while Grand View's best look of the opening 45 came in the 43rd minute, when Jackie Riveros-Oritz — on since a 30th-minute substitution — forced a save from the Graceland goalkeeper. Grand View also shuffled its lineup throughout the half, bringing on Alli Seegers, Adyson Little, Dayana Espinoza and Valeria Gonzalez as it searched for a foothold, but the Vikings went into the break down 3-0.
The second half was a different story defensively for Grand View, which kept Graceland off the scoreboard despite absorbing seven more shots and five corner kicks after the break. Adyson Little had the Vikings' best chance of the half, sending a shot just over the bar in the 67th minute. Fritz continued to stand tall in goal, coming up with saves in the 84th and 85th minutes to preserve the scoreline, and finished the match with three saves overall. Grand View continued to rotate its lineup late, turning to Teresa Riveros-Ortiz, Sara Arias, Blair Burnham and others down the stretch as it searched for a spark.
Graceland picked up a yellow card in the closing minutes as Grand View pushed for a response, but the Yellowjackets' defense held firm to close out the shutout. The result, Graceland's third win in its last four outings, moved the Yellowjackets to 3-2 overall (1-1 in conference), while Grand View slipped to 2-3 (1-1 in conference).
SCORING SUMMARY
- 7:51 – Graceland, 1-0
- 13:22 – Graceland, 2-0
- 22:14 – Graceland, 3-0 (final)
MATCH NOTES
- Shots: Graceland 15 (6 on goal), Grand View 2 (1 on goal)
- Saves: Maya Fritz (Grand View) 3
- Corner kicks: Graceland 8, Grand View 0
- Cautions: Graceland 1
WHAT'S NEXT
Grand View travels to St. Louis to take on Missouri Baptist University on September 19 at 4 PM.
