Box score
BANNER ELK, N.C. --- The North Georgia College
& State University women's soccer team utilized a three-goal
first half, and netted a pair of scores in the final 45 minutes en
route to a 5-2 win over Lees-McRae College in the season-opener
Thursday at Tate Field. North Georgia improves to 1-0 on the season
while Lees-McRae drops to 0-1.
The two sides battled to control the run of play for much of the
match, with the Saints ending the contest with a narrow 17-15
margin in shots. Emily Bowen (Brentwood, Tenn.) paced the Saints
with a goal and an assist, including the match-winner midway
through the second half. Kelsey Martin (Dallas, Ga.), Samantha
Abrahart (Duluth, Ga.), Caroline Wallace (Watkinsville, Ga.), Emily
Dover (Canton, Ga.) each netted a goal in contribution, while
Melanie Thompson (Snellville, Ga.) and Whitley Dover (Canton, Ga.)
each chipped in an assist.
Katy McGee (Hudson, Fla.) and Jessica O'Leary (Millbury, Mass.)
each tallied a goal for the Lady Bobcats, while Kaitlyn Kerrigan
(Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) and Brooke Santerre (Port Republic, Md.)
each notched an assist.
North Georgia opened the scoring midway through the 27th minute
when Wallace took possession of a loose ball on the wing, and after
beating a defender, laced a driven strike off the LMC keeper to
give the Saints an early 1-0 lead. Abrahart doubled the North
Georgia advantage four minutes later, taking a cross from Emily
Dover and placing it inside the far post midway through the 32nd
minute.
Lees-McRae cut the lead in half later in the 38th minute when
Kerrigan swung a corner into the area, setting up a well-placed
header by McGee past the North Georgia keeper to pull the Lady
Bobcats within a goal at 2-1. North Georgia widened the margin to
3-1 late early in the 42nd minute, when Thompson found a streaking
Bowen with a long lead pass to set up the finish inside the near
post.
Emily Dover pushed the margin to 4-1 midway through the 63rd
minute, taking a long lead pass that deflected off the keeper and
slotting the finish into the open net. Martin would add a late goal
for the Saints in the 90th minute, delivering a strike off a
well-placed through ball from Whitley Dover.
O'Leary provided the final entry into the scorebook with 20
seconds remaining in the match. The junior forward took a pass from
Santerre and delivered a wonderful strike off the far post to cut
the margin to 5-2 for her first goal of the season.
The Lady Bobcats return to the pitch on Saturday when they
travel to Milligan College, Tenn. for a 7 p.m. matchup with
Milligan College.
- LMC -
