WASHINGTON –– In a game that was dominated by both sides' defensive prowess, Jenna Menta once again stepped up for the Hoyas and delivered the game-winner late in Georgetown's (11-0-1, 7-0-1 BIG EAST) NCAA Tournament second-round match against South Carolina (11-6, 6-2 SEC). The first half saw neither side able to leave its mark, with a total of four shots registered between the two teams. In the second period, Georgetown outshot the Gamecocks 5-2, the last of which was Menta's game-winner with 52 seconds on the clock. With the 1-0 victory, Georgetown will play No. 4 TCU on Wednesday, May 5.  

COACH NOLAN ON THE MATCH

• "In terms of the game, it was a pretty even one. We didn't look like we were going to score too many goals, and they didn't look like they were going to score too many goals. It was going to take a special play by a special player. Going down the stretch, if anything, I felt Lauren's penalty kick save was huge because at that point they had started to get on top a little bit. I think it sucked the life out of them a little bit and gave us a great energy boost to finish off the half… 'Big players make big plays in big games,' that's what we kept saying to them. Thankfully Lauren (Gallagher) made a big play on the penalty kick and Jenna (Menta) obviously made a big play on the goal. Congratulations to South Carolina for having a good season. They're a very good soccer-playing team, and it's always fun to play teams like that. We hope to play them again soon."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Junior Maya Fernandez-Powell created GU's first chance of the contest, driving a low shot at goalkeeper Taylor Fox and forcing a save.
• After a South Carolina free kick was cleared by the Hoyas, Gamecock midfielder Jyllissa Harris volleyed a shot from well outside the box, but her attempt failed to trouble Alyssa Navarrete.
• Neither team was able to create chances throughout much of the half, as both sides went into the break tied 0-0.
• With 29:10 on the clock, the Gamecocks were awarded a penalty after senior Kelly Ann Livingstone was judged to have brought down a South Carolina forward; during the ensuing penalty kick, Gallagher made a strong lunge to her right to save Claire Griffith's shot, ensuring the score remained 0-0. 
• Just eight minutes later, Fernandez-Powell fired another shot at the Gamecock goal, but the shot landed wide left of Fox's net. 
• The Blue & Gray attempted a few more shots before the end of the period, but none could beat Fox in the Gamecock net. 
• With 53 seconds to play, Jenna Menta received the ball 70 yards from the USC goal, well inside the Georgetown half. After sprinting down the sideline, she surged into the left-hand side of the South Carolina penalty area, cutting inside on her right foot to beat a couple of Gamecock defenders before dispatching the game-winner into the bottom-right corner of the goal.
• Menta's goal would leave USC just 52 seconds to grab an equalizer. Unable to do so, Georgetown would see out the game as 1-0 winners.  

OF NOTE

• GU outshot the Gamecocks 8-3 in the contest.
• Both teams were equal in the corner kick column with four apiece. 
• Menta has now scored a game-winning goal in separate matches this season (vs. UConn 3/18, vs. Butler 4/18, vs. South Carolina 5/1).
• Navarrete and Gallagher combined to keep Georgetown's 10th clean sheet of the season.
• With the win, the Blue & Gray will advance to the Round of 16 for the fourth time (2010, 2016, 2018, 2020). 

UP NEXT FOR THE HOYAS
Georgetown will face No. 4 TCU on Wednesday, May 5 at 6 p.m. in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 16.