HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Xavier women's soccer team fought hard, but came up just short in a 2-0, heartbreaking loss to the William Carey Crusaders, the nation's top-ranked team. 

The Gold Nuggets (12-3-4) played William Carey (20-1) to a scoreless tie in the first half, but the Crusaders found the back of the net in the 47th and 85th minutes. 

Keeper Luisa Bella made 7 saves in the match, which featured 21 shots (9 on goal) for an aggressive William Carey. 

This marked the third consecutive appearance in the NAIA National Tournament for Xavier Women's Soccer, not a bad record given that the team has only played three seasons.