GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  – With three goals in six and a half minutes, the Golden Eagles stormed back from a two-goal deficit to down the Bethel Pilots 4-3 on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Gracie Gortmaker sparked the heroic comeback with two outstanding goals from outside the 18-year box before Tori Woodwyk and Kaitlynn Sal would each score. CU moves to 3-1-0 on the year overall as they will play one more home non-conference game vs. Kalamazoo College on Tuesday before beginning WHAC play next weekend. 
 
Game Recap: Cornerstone – 4 Bethel – 3
First Half

• Just over 10 minutes into the first half, Arianna Rau earned a threatening free kick for Cornerstone. Chloe Dood took the free kick and nearly scored as the ball floated over the keeper and hit the crossbar and was eventually cleared by Bethel to keep the game scoreless. 
• In the 18^th and 19^th minutes Cornerstone saw two more big chances as Scotland Phillip had a breakaway chance that was saved at the near post. Kaitlynn Sal then nearly scored on a header that went just over the crossbar on the ensuing corner kick. 
• Bethel on their first true opportunity in the 22^nd minute scored, as Audrey Lerch made a nice pass to teammate Leena Thomas for her team leading sixth goal of the year to take a 1-0 lead. 
• Momentum started to shift with Bethel getting more of the opportunities late in the first half. They would earn a free kick right at the 26-minute mark in a dangerous area. Giulia Franco took the free kick and missed just wide past the four-woman Golden Eagle wall. 
• Seconds later, Cornerstone ran an excellent counterattack with Gracie Gortmaker and Tori Woodwyk connecting beautifully to get Amber Nicholson an open shot 1v1 with the keeper. Nicholson would miss wide though, and the score would stay 1-0 in favor of the Pilots. 
• Once again Gracie Gortmaker and Amber Nicholson found herself in the middle of a scramble inside the box. Nicholson was able to beat the keeper temporarily but was unable to put the ball in the net as the Bethel defense covered the back line. 
• Bethel earned another free kick in the 39^th minute. Giulia Franco was able to find the net on a shot that was mishandled by Morgan Scholten in net to make it 2-0. 
• Cornerstone would outshoot Bethel 13-4 in the first half, but trail 2-0. 

Second Half

• To start the second half, Bethel took a deep shot from about 30 yards out that Morgan Scholten made a great save to push it over the bar and keep the deficit at two. 
• In the 47^th minute, Gracie Gortmaker went coast to coast off a goal kick and scored a beautiful goal just outside the 18-yard box into the side netting while falling to the ground. Gortmaker added her second goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1. 
• The Gracie Gortmaker show continued in the 51^st minute with a beautiful rip outside the 18-yard box again off a throw in from Elayna Cady. The freshman single handedly tied the game within the first six minutes of the second half. 
• Cornerstone then earned a penalty kick in the 52^nd minute. Tori Woodwyk would take the PK and score as Cornerstone erupted to take the lead with three goals in the first six and a half minutes of the second half.
• The Pilots were able to regroup and keep the high scoring game going scoring an equalizer in the 56^th minute. Aubrey Vervynckt scored on a pass from Autumn Beaudoin to tie the game at three. Starting keeper Morgan Scholten was injured on the goal and Kelly Leep would enter for the first time in the 2023 season. 
• Both teams began to settle back in defensively, but the game started to get much more physical as Bethel was handed two yellow cards in the middle of the second half. 
• In the 74^th minute Cornerstone earned a corner. Sierah Adams subbed in for the first time and took the corner. An out-swinging corner landed perfectly for Kaitlynn Sal as she scored bar down to give CU the lead back 4-3. 
• Cornerstone was able to hold off the pesky Pilots in the final 15 minutes to earn the 4-3 home victory, scoring all four goals in the second half. 

By the Numbers
19 – Cornerstone had a season high 19 shots in today's game. 
3 – Gracie Gortmaker and Tori Woodwyk each have three goals this season to lead the team. 
3W's – Cornerstone has won three matches in a row for the first time since 2019. 
 
What's Next?
Cornerstone will play their final non-conference game of 2023 at home on Tuesday, September 19 at 7 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo College. 
 
Women's Soccer Contact: Jesse Campbell 
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