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Home field advantage proved pivotal on Saturday night as all four higher-seeded teams triumphed in their quarterfinal matches, successfully securing their spots in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference women’s soccer tournament.
COLUMBUS – The No. 2-ranked and top-seeded Columbus State Women’s Soccer team faced off against USC Beaufort (South Carolina) at the Walden Soccer Complex, showcasing a dominant performance during the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Quarterfinal. The Lady Cougars, boasting an impressive 17-0-1 record this season, overwhelmed the Sand Sharks, finishing the match with a resounding 9-2 victory. This significant win not only propelled CSU into next weekend’s semifinal but also ensured they would host both semifinal matches and the championship as the remaining highest seed.
First Half
The match kicked off with high intensity, as Abigail Akerson registered the first shot within a mere 16 seconds. She quickly made her mark by scoring the opening goal in the 9th minute, assisted by teammate Anna LaBarbera. Columbus State’s relentless offensive efforts resulted in three near misses in the subsequent 20 minutes, keeping USC Beaufort on the defensive.
As the first half progressed, Mia Robinson scored the second goal in the 30th minute, following up with aggressive attempts on goal from Elle Henschel and Brooke Yount. Robinson struck again in the 38th minute, with Kendal Coreil providing the assist, allowing CSU to head into halftime with a commanding 3-0 lead.
Second Half
Columbus State showed no signs of slowing down after the intermission, quickly netting a fourth goal within the first 90 seconds as Faith Knoedler found the back of the net, assisted by Emma Beddow. With a comfortable 4-0 lead, CSU continued to dominate, netting two more individual goals from Beddow in the 55th minute and Akerson in the 58th minute, skyrocketing their advantage to six goals.
The Lady Cougars maintained their attacking momentum, and in the 65th minute, Michelle Medina seized a golden opportunity from the penalty spot after being fouled inside the box, successfully converting the attempt to extend CSU’s lead to 7-0. The relentless offensive continued, with Ui Suzuki adding an eighth goal in the 67th minute.
Capping off the scoring frenzy, Yount buried a brilliant shot from outside the box in the 72nd minute, pushing the Lady Cougars’ tally to 9-0. However, amidst multiple lineup changes late in the game, the CSU defense allowed two goals from Sophia Willis, one in the 79th minute and another in the 81st. In response, Coach Entlich swiftly reintroduced experienced defenders to secure the backline for the remaining minutes of the match.
DAHLONEGA, GA — The second-seeded University of North Georgia women’s soccer team utilized a combination of stifling defense and an explosive second-half offensive performance to defeat Georgia Southwestern by a score of 3-0 during the PBC women’s soccer tournament quarterfinals on Saturday night at the UNG Soccer Complex. This victory propels UNG into the semifinal round on Friday, Nov. 15, where they will engage in a much-anticipated matchup against the third-seeded Flagler College in Columbus, Georgia.
The first half of the contest was tightly contested, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm, resulting in limited scoring chances. UNG (11-3-2) managed to take five shots, while their sturdy defense effectively kept Georgia Southwestern (7-8-1) to just two attempts within the first 45 minutes.
However, the dynamic shifted dramatically in the second half. UNG emerged with renewed vigor, overwhelming GSW by outshooting them 11-1 in the period. The breakthrough for the Nighthawks came at the 60:18 mark when Darby Olive capitalized on a loose ball in the box, netting a goal in the lower corner with an assist from Chloe Diaz. Just 15 minutes later, Diaz played a pivotal role again, setting up McGill’s impressive shot from 20 yards away after a free kick from Nina Lopez, extending UNG’s lead to 2-0.
Lopez sealed the Nighthawks’ impressive performance with a third goal less than five minutes later, skillfully maneuvering through the GSW defense and delivering a powerful shot from just inside the box that hit the side netting. The robust offensive display was fortified by a defensive effort that limited GSW to a mere one shot in the second half, with goalie Sierra Fowler securing the shutout with two critical saves.
ST. AUGUSTINE – Cisel Akguel and Andrea Fernandez played pivotal roles in Flagler College’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Lander University during the Peach Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinal match Saturday evening at Saints Field. With this win, Flagler, the No. 3 seed, improved their overall record to 8-2-5 and will advance to face No. 2 University of North Georgia in the semifinal round scheduled for Nov. 15 at Walden Soccer Complex in Columbus, Georgia. Flagler enters the match on a strong note, having achieved an impressive 5-0-1 record in their last six outings.
Fernandez wasted no time in starting the scoring frenzy, netting a goal in the first four minutes of the match with assistance from Samantha St. Pierre. Following a momentary equalization from Lander, Flagler regained control by scoring twice more before halftime; Akguel contributed her first goal in the 33rd minute, while Paige Churchill capitalized on a free kick from Fernandez in the 43rd minute to push the score to 3-1 at the break.
Akguel continued her scoring prowess in the second half, adding another goal in the 64th minute, giving the Saints a commanding 4-1 lead. Meanwhile, Henley Grunst made three crucial saves for Flagler, while Leah Hayes Coen recorded five stops for Lander. The shot distribution was even at 14 each, yet Lander gained an edge in corner kicks with an 8-3 advantage.
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia College & State University staged a thrilling second-half comeback, scoring two goals to secure a 2-1 victory against Clayton State University during the quarterfinals of the Peach Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament on Saturday at Bobcat Soccer Field. The fourth-seeded Bobcats improved to 9-6-3 with this victory, marking their fifth consecutive win, while the fifth-seeded Lakers concluded their season with a respectable 8-3-6 record.
With this victory, GCSU advances to the semifinals on Friday (Nov. 15) in Columbus, Georgia, where they will face top-seed Columbus State University. More information regarding the semifinal matchups will be provided later this week by the conference office. Columbus State, ranked No. 2 nationally, easily defeated USC Beaufort 9-2 in their quarterfinal clash earlier in the day. This marks the first semifinal appearance for the Bobcats since the 2018 tournament.
Early in the match, Carrie Consolino put Clayton State on the board first with a powerful shot from the top of the box in the 16th minute, marking her 19th goal of the season. The Bobcats equalized in the 57:27 mark thanks to Ava Martin’s opportunistic strike. Martin’s fifth goal of the season came after an initial shot from Lily Markey clattered off the crossbar, landing at Martin’s feet where she converted it into the left corner of the net.
The match remained level until Aralyn Everett delivered the decisive blow for the Bobcats, scoring the winner in the 82:34 mark. After a tough shot from Sydney Charles was saved, Everett seized the rebound and expertly placed her fourth goal of the season into the bottom left corner. GCSU outshot their opponents 19-12 overall, showcasing a dominant performance with 11 shots on goal compared to Clayton State’s 4. The Bobcats also held an advantage in corner kicks, finishing 6-3.
