Semi-finals ends soccer season

    The GCSU soccer team brought their season to a close on Nov. 2 in Columbus, Ga.  The Bobcats played an outstanding game, but were eliminated from the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with a 1-0 loss. 
    Their opponents, the Columbus State University Cougars, were the best team in the conference all year, and would go on to defeat Armstrong Atlantic State University 2-1 for the conference championship.  The Bobcats had just dropped a 3-0 decision to the Cougars a week earlier here at GCSU, so the close road loss showed that the Bobcats had made some adjustments and would not back down.
    “It was a tough loss,” junior forward Hayley Ferrell said. “We played so hard, everyone really came out and played so good. We should have won, it’s tough when  you just can’t quite catch the break to get the ball in the net.”
    Head coach Robert Parr was not with the team for the game, and head softball coach Ginger Carter Miller coached the team for this final game.  Parr was suspended indefinitely, by the athletic department, after the team’s first round victory over Clayton State University on Oct. 30.  At this point the GCSU Athletic Department has made no comment on the situation.
    Neither the loss to CSU nor the loss of Parr should detract from the season these Bobcats had.  It was the best season for GCSU women’s soccer so far, and since the sport was added to the varsity lineup in 2004, the program has reached several milestones.
    This season saw the first home playoff game for the Bobcats, as well as a new single-season scoring mark, with Ferrell scoring sixteen goals during the 18-game season.  The Bobcats finished the season with a record of 13-5, including their 5-3 conference record.  These three losses were by a total of five goals to the top three teams in the PBC.  This was indicative of the way the season went for the Bobcats; they won the games they were supposed to win, and often outplayed higher-ranked opponents in their few losses.
    “I feel really good about how we did (this season),” Ferrell said. “It’s a little dissapointing that we didn’t make the regionals, but in all we are happy with everything.”
    The Bobcats will lose the services of a few veteran players who have used their four years of eligibility.  Seniors
Britni Emerson, Jessica McGinnis, Alex Stover and Emily Norris will all be missed.
    However, with several freshmen and sophomores playing vital roles on this team, GCSU women’s soccer has nothing but good things to look forward to next season and beyond.  The Bobcats will return their leading scorer, Ferrell, the team leader in assists, sophomore Jamie Nevin, and perhaps the best freshman class in the PBC.
    Practice for the team will continue until final exams, and then the team will get a well-deserved break for the holidays.  The team will say their goodbyes to the seniors, and think about what they have accomplished this season. 
    When practice resumes in preparation for the 2008 season, one thing is for sure: these Bobcats will be hungry for more.
    “We are already really excited about next year,” Ferrell said. “We did so good this year that we really feel we can improve even more.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 9 2007. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry