Soccer surges late to defeat Hurricanes, 3-0
The GCSU soccer team started off the Little Feet Invitational with a 3-0 shutout victory against Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday.
When the game began, the Bobcats quickly took control and were able to keep the ball on the Hurricanes’ side of the field for the majority of the half.
Although GCSU took numerous shots in the first half, they were unable to score and both teams remained scoreless at halftime.
During the first half, the Bobcats managed to take 13 shots, while Georgia Southwestern was only able to take one shot.
Kendyl Wade | gcsunade.comSenior midfielder Ally Treat works the ball down field in GCSU’s 3-0 win on Wednesday. The Bobcats wore pink jerseys for the “Think Pink” game designed, to increase breast cancer awareness.
At the start of the second half, the Bobcats once again continued to dominate as they stayed on the Hurricanes’ side of the field for the majority of the time and although many shots were taken by GCSU, they were still having trouble landing any in Georgia Southwestern’s net.
When just 15 minutes remained in the game, the tied score was finally broken when freshman forward Katie Taylor scored the first goal of the game from a cornerkick, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.
“I think we’re doing a lot better offensively from last season to this season, just getting the freshman up top,” sophomore forward Anna Wierzbicki said. “They’re really going strong right now, but we’ve just got to get better at finishing our opportunities.”
Less than three minutes later, Taylor struck again when she placed a powerful kick into the back of the Hurricanes net from 20 yards, making the score 2-0.
When nine minutes where left in the game, GCSU was able to secure a three-goal cushion, when Wierzbicki scored an unassisted goal and set the final score at 3-0 for the Bobcats’ shutout victory.
“In the first half and second half we just couldn’t put it in the net,” Taylor said. “And then in the last 15 minutes we just went all out, and after the first goal went in, it just boosted everybody’s confidence up.”
This past Sunday, after winning their first two home games, the Bobcats suffered their first home defeat of the season in the Bobcat Shootout, when they were lost out 0-3 to Barry University.
The Buccaneers were quick to take the lead over GCSU when just nine minutes into the first half, Barry’s Emma Karp sent a head-butted ball into the Bobcat’s goal to give the Buccaneers a 1-0 lead.
Although multiple attempts were made, neither team was able to score again for the first 90 minutes and halftime arrived with GCSU trailing Barry 1-0.
When halftime ended, the Buccaneers were able to secure a two-goal cushion over the Bobcats just two minutes into the second half when Barry’s Melissa Madrid placed a shot into the back of the GCSU net from 45 yards out to secure a 2-0 lead.
Although the Bobcats made several attempts to catch up, they were unable to score.
When less than nine minutes remained in the game, Madrid of the Buccaneers struck again when she scored another goal to set the final score at 3-0 in GCSU’s shutout defeat.
The Bobcats are at home this weekend at they take on West Ga. on Saturday at 5 p.m.
“The main difference between these two opponents was the level. Barry is probably the best team we’ve played this year and I think the game against Georgia Southwestern was more of an even battle and I think we were the better team,” Head Coach Hope Clark said. “We’re kind of in a cycle right now, so we need to have time for recovery and getting our legs back underneath us, have some 1 v. 1 work and a little bit of tapering going into the next game.”
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