[su_spacer size=”20″] The University of Georgia soccer team fell 1-0 in their home opening match against the No. 13 Clemson Tigers in front of a raucous 2,311 capacity crowd Friday night at the Turner Soccer Complex.

“They’re disappointed as they should be because we played pretty well,” Georgia head coach Billy Lesesne said. “Disappointed not to get the result after putting on a good fight. I thought we were a little impatient in the final third with shots from distance. [Sheridan] from distance is a very good goalkeeper, and we’re probably not going to score from 35-yards against her. So we could have had a little bit better decision-making in final third.”

In the first half, the Bulldogs (0-4-1) and Tigers (4-0-0) battled back and forth as both goalkeepers kept clean sheets through the first 45’ with both squads combining for 11 shots. Georgia keeper, Louise Hogrell stopped all four Clemson shots on goal, including a diving save cross net in the 13th minute.

Hogrell faced 10-plus shots for the fourth consecutive game. She recorded six saves, the second game in a row. She’s now made over five saves in the full 90’.
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[su_spacer size=”40″] Offensively, the Bulldogs had a number of chances via free kicks and corners as well as a 3-on-2 break in the 29th minute that ended with Kelsey Killean’s shot going just over the crossbar as she was pressured by an oncoming defender.

In the second half, the Bulldogs came out and pushed the pace towards the Clemson net, with multiple rushes down the field. In the 56’ minute Killean sent a cross from the left towards Becca Rasmussen and three minutes later Bella Hartley had a 22-yard strike that Clemson keeper, Kailen Sheridan was able to snatch as it headed toward the top right corner.

The Tigers were able to break the scoreless draw in the 71st minute of the contest as Alana Hockenhill’s strike from the lower right box beat an outstretched Louise Hogrell.

“Defensively, we had a little bit of a break down,” Lesesne said of the goal. “That was their center back who served the ball to get the assist, and we should have done a little bit better job covering up there, but that’s a miscue and a 1-0 game in the wrong direction.”

Within a minute of resuming play, Georgia nearly tied it at one as Andie Fontanetta’s shot from just inside the box had to be steered away for a Bulldog corner.
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[su_spacer size=”40″] In the waning moments, the Bulldogs had a number of chances including a corner in the 76th minute that found Mariel Gutierrez at the top of the box. Gutierrez’ shot was just deflected by Sheridan for another Georgia corner.

The Bulldogs return to action next Friday at 7 p.m. when they play host to No. 16 South Carolina in their Southeastern Conference opener at the Turner Soccer Complex.
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