The No. 8 SCAD Savannah women's soccer team bounced back in commanding fashion on Thursday night, earning a 2–0 victory over No. 10 University of Tennessee Southern at the Orange Beach Classic.
The Bees (3–1) wasted little time setting the tone. In the 20th minute, Ida Åkesson broke through with her third goal of the season, finishing off a well-timed feed from Cali Wuestefeld to put SCAD ahead 1–0. The Firehawks (1–1–1) tried to respond with pressure of their own, but the Bees' back line, anchored by Emilia Irle and Mina Häggström, held strong and allowed just three total shots on the night.
Just seconds into the second half, SCAD doubled its lead. Mia Gomez pounced on a ball served into the box by Wilma Hedenberg, slotting it past the Firehawks' goalkeeper to make it 2–0. From there, the Bees dictated the tempo, creating 18 total shots and six corner kicks while keeping Tennessee Southern on its heels.
Goalkeeper Saga Bryntesson earned the clean sheet without needing to make a save, thanks to a disciplined team defensive effort that neutralized the Firehawks' attack. On the other end, UT Southern's keeper Stephanie Hodgson kept the scoreline respectable with three stops against relentless SCAD pressure.
The squad showed depth once again, with 10 different players coming off the bench to contribute to the victory.
With the win, SCAD not only rebounded from its midweek setback against Georgia Gwinnett but also notched a top-10 victory in one of the NAIA's premier early-season showcases. The Bees will look to carry that momentum forward as the Orange Beach Classic continues this weekend.
