LAMONI, Iowa — Graceland University women's soccer was held scoreless in a 6-0 loss to No. 7-ranked Central Methodist University on Saturday afternoon in Heart of America Athletic Conference action at Mediacom Stadium. The result moves Graceland to 4-6-3 overall and 1-5-1 in the Heart, while Central Methodist improves to 10-1-2 overall and 4-0-1 in conference play.

The Yellowjackets were put under sustained pressure throughout the match as Central Methodist outshot Graceland 21-3, including a 15-1 advantage in shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper Alexia Johnson made nine saves across 90 minutes to keep the final margin from expanding further.

Graceland's offensive opportunities were limited, with Sierra Flores recording two shots and Chloe Montera placing the lone shot on target. Despite the low shot total, the Yellowjackets worked to hold defensive shape and absorb pressure across both halves.

CMU opened scoring in the 22nd minute through an unassisted strike by Irene Ruiz, followed by a successful penalty kick conversion by Mariana Barreto in the 35th minute. Barreto added two more goals in the second half, one assisted by Luisa Schaupp, to complete a hat trick.

The Eagles added insurance goals from Pascalle Rodriguez and a second penalty finish by Beatrice Aime in the 88th minute.

Central Methodist also held a commanding edge in set pieces, earning 12 corner kicks to Graceland's 1. Defenders Christine Burke, Mackenzie Ralston, and Addison Fletcher played the full 90 minutes in the back line, working to contain CMU's front three.

After the match, head coach Randall Porter addressed the performance:

"We ran up against a top side today," said Porter. "There's not much room for error against that kind of quality, but I'm proud of the team's effort. Alexia [Johnson] made big saves, and we stayed organized. We'll regroup, refocus, and move forward."

NEXT MATCH:
Graceland heads to Canton, Missouri, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, for a Heart of America clash against Culver-Stockton College. Kickoff is set for 5PM CDT at Poulton Stadium.

For more information on Graceland women's soccer and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.