PBC Women's Soccer Daily Update - Oct. 26

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Columbus State Extends Winning Streak with 4-0 Victory Over Montevallo

Columbus – Kiana Nicholson netted her first career hat trick in the first half to lead Columbus State to a dominating 4-0 win Wednesday night versus Montevallo in a Peach Belt Conference tilt at the Walden Soccer Complex.  CSU ups its mark to 13-3-2 on the year and 7-2-1 in the PBC while UM drops to 5-11-1 overall and 2-6-1 in conference action.

The scoring opened up early as Nicholson scored the first goal just 3:32 into the match.  The freshman received a flick-on from Jackie Ellis into the far left portion of the penalty box and chipped the goalkeeper to the right post to put CSU ahead 1-0.

Roughly 22 minutes later the Marietta native was able to corral a ball in a nearly identical spot of the field and again hit a left-footed blast to the far right post giving Columbus State a 2-0 advantage.  Nicholson put the finishing touches on the fine night six and a half minutes later when Jaci Carithers played a ball over the top on a free kick which Nicholson brought down before burying her third goal of the game.

This was the first hat trick of the season by any Lady Cougar and was the first time the feat was accomplished since Stephanie Parrish put in three goals versus Barry last year.  CSU's lone senior, Stephanie Lowery, also had the trifecta in 2010 picking up the hat trick in a contest against Carson-Newman.

Columbus State was able to put the finishing touches on a very good night in the 84th minute when Christine Kelly played a long ball over the Montevallo defense to Jackie Ellis who chested the ball down setting up a 1-v-1 situation which the junior easily won scoring her fourth goal of the season.

Mary Mancin picked up a pair of saves on two dangerous shots by Montevallo in the second half as she earned her sixth shutout of the season improving her record to 13-3-2.  Mancin ends the regular season with a 0.63 goals against average, which is currently the second best mark in the PBC.

Alyssa Maxwell (0-5-1) suffered the loss for Montevallo allowing all four goals despite making 10 saves in the match.  

CSU outshot Montevallo 22-3 in the contest and held a 6-1 edge in corner kicks.  Each team was whistled for 11 fouls.

Bobcats Clinch Playoff Spot With Six-Goal Outburst

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College soccer team (5-12, 4-5 PBC) struck early and often in a 6-0 shutout of USC Aiken (4-11, 1-8 PBC) Wednesday at Bobcat Field. The victory clinched a spot in the 2011 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament for the Bobcats.

The Bobcats put up a symmetrical boxscore, netting three goals in each half. Sophomore Brittaney Borror (Evans, Ga.) got the scoring started just over eight minutes into the contest, re-directing a cross from junior Jamie Colcord (Marietta, Ga.). The goal was Borror's second of the season.

A 2-0 lead came 10 minutes later, when freshman Ashley Veilleux (Monroe, Ga.) hit the first of her two goals on the night, taking a cross from classmate Abby Dalton (Macon, Ga.). Senior Erica Padula (Panama City, Fla.) finished off a great individual effort for the 3-0 halftime lead, her second of the season.

In the second half it was more of the same, with Dalton scoring off a Colcord assist 17:14 into the second half. The goal was Dalton's third of the year. Senior Karen Bonilla (Manassas, Va.) then wowed the crowd on senior day with her second goal of the season, cracking a shot from the top of the box. Veilleux made it 6-0 with 5:54 remaining to cap the scoring.

GC threw a trio of goalkeepers at the game, as freshmen Annie Stephens (Fayetteville, Ga.), Taylor Cornelius (Dacula, Ga.) and Michelle DeMaris (Suwanee, Ga.) each saw action. Stephens got the win with a three-save first half.

The six-goal outburst was the most goals in a game for GC since a 6-0 win over Clayton State University Oct. 22, 2008. The Bobcats have scored more than six goals in a game just once, tallying eight against Erksine College in 2006.

The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Bobcats, as the top eight teams make the PBC Tournament, beginning on campus sites Tuesday, Nov. 1.

Saints storm past Lady Hurricanes, 2-0

AMERICUS, Ga. – Loren Cate (Apopka, Fla., Apopka HS) scored a pair of unassisted goals to help lead Flagler College to a 2-0 win over Georgia Southwestern State University in a Peach Belt Conference women’s soccer match Wednesday afternoon at the GSW Soccer Field.

Flagler extended its unbeaten streak to three matches and improved to 8-7-1 overall and 4-4-1 in the Peach Belt. Georgia Southwestern lost its 10th consecutive match and dropped to 3-14-0 overall and 0-9-0 in conference play.

Cate’s first goal came in the 31st minute when she collected in a loose ball, faked a turn and then fired a shot inside the far post. That would be all of the scoring in the first half.

In the 57th minute, Cate dribbled to the left side of the 18’ and tucked a shot inside the near post.

Cate led the team with eight shots, including five on goal.

Cristina Coca (Riverview, Fla., Saint Leo University) tallied two saves and recorded her second consecutive shutout of the season. Amber Bahr saved four shots before giving way in the second half to Jordyn Birchett who also saved four shots.

Flagler out-shot Georgia Southwestern 20-4, including a 10-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Saints took 13 corner kicks while the Lady ‘Canes took just one.

Lady Saints Shutout Anderson 3-0 on Senior Night

DAHLONEGA, GA – The 11th-ranked North Georgia women's soccer team used a trio of first-half goals on Wednesday evening to cruise by Anderson University 3-0 at the Soccer Complex in the final non-conference game of the regular season.

Hours after being ranked No. 1 in the latest NCAA Southeast Regional Poll, the Lady Saints improved to 14-1 and are on the verge of their first-ever NCAA Tournament birth. Anderson fell to 9-8 on the year as they will cap their regular season Saturday afternoon against Wingate.

Abby Trevino got the scoring started in the 28th minute when Emily Dover deflected a cross in the box by Caroline Wallace and Trevino was awarded with a wide open net and finished for her fourth score of the year.

After Wallace picked up an assist early, the sophomore got in on the scoring just 12 minutes later when Dover deflected another ball in the box and Wallace fired a shot past Anderson keeper Genevieve Hamilton to double North Georgia's lead making it 2-0. The score in the 40th minute was the fifth of the year for Wallace and her third straight game with a goal.

Just before the half, the Lady Saints were awarded a corner kick and Megan Morrow played a perfect ball in the box that found Leanne South. The junior headed it home for the third goal of the half to give North Georgia a 3-0 advantage heading to the half.

Head coach Chris Adams emptied the bench in the second half, but the stellar defense was still in tact, holding the Trojans scoreless as Kirsten Ross picked up her eighth win of the year in goal for the Lady Saints. The defense allowed just one shot a goal, a ball Ross stopped to preserve the shutout.

North Georgia tallied 31 shots to just five for Anderson, while the Lady Saints attempted 11 corner kicks on the night.

Following the game, the Lady Saints honored their five seniors that make up the most successful class in school history. Kirsten Ross, Danielle Brannan, Emily Dover, Natalie Douglass and Sara Kate Rogers have taken North Georgia to the next level and propelled the program to one of the best in the country. Together they have combined for an impressive 46-18-5 record over the last four years.

North Georgia also kicked off their latest partnership with Lumpkin County Parks YMCA and recognized the local youth soccer programs at halftime of the contest. Following the senior night festivities, the Lady Saints signed autographs and held a photo shoot for the youth soccer players of Lumpkin County.

The Lady Saints can now turn their attention to the biggest game of the year this Saturday when they play host to 18th-ranked Armstrong in the regular season finale. A win for North Georgia would propel them to a share of the Peach Belt Championship with the Pirates and the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming PBC Tournament which starts on Tuesday, while a victory for Armstrong would give them the title outright.

Clayton State Women Edge Alabama-Huntsville in Double-Overtime Thriller

MORROW, Ga. – October 26, 2011 – The Clayton State Laker women’s soccer team aimed to send its three seniors out on a winning note on Wednesday, and it would take some additional time to make that happen.

However, a penalty kick goal by Silvia Espelt in the second overtime period was the difference as Clayton State pulled off a thrilling 1-0 victory over visiting Alabama-Huntsville at Laker Field. The victory improves Clayton State to 8-6-2 overall on the final home game for Laker seniors Elisabeth Cook, Jennifer Dreasler and Janei Ivey. Alabama-Huntsville falls to 5-9-1.

In addition, it marked the ninth shutout of the season for the Lakers – their most in a season since 2005.

“UAH’s goalkeeper was excellent tonight, and we weren’t exactly vintage,” said a relieved Clayton State head coach Gareth O’Sullivan. “I am so delighted our three seniors got to finish with a win at Laker Field in their last home game.”

Clayton State could not penetrate the tremendous effort by Alabama-Huntsville goalkeeper Iris Gunnarsdottir, who finished the game with 11 saves. Seven of those saves came in the second half when she repeatedly thwarted every opportunity the Lakers had.

It appeared Clayton State got the break it needed in the 95th minute of the first overtime period when the Lakers’ Josefine Holsten was tackled in the penalty box. However, Espelt’s penalty kick attempt hit the left post. But the freshman defender would get another opportunity and not be denied.

In the 104th minute, Alabama-Huntsville committed another foul inside the penalty box. This time, Espelt hammered the shot past Gunnarsdottir into the right corner of the net for the game-winner.

Clayton State had 18 shots compared to only seven for Alabama-Huntsville. Laker goalkeeper Laoise O’Driscoll recorded her eighth shutout of the season with two saves. She has allowed only two goals in her last 784 minutes.

Clayton State concludes the regular season on Saturday with a 5 p.m. Peach Belt Conference matchup at USC Aiken.