(Photo by Sean Taylor)
The win gave the Bulldogs three team points in the Southeastern Conference standings and put the team one step closer towards earning a bid to Orange Beach, Alabama for the SEC Soccer Tournament.
Head coach Billy Lesesne hopes this win carries over to the rest of the season.
“This certainly helps with our efforts to try and make the SEC tournament,” Lesesne said. “We were under a lot of pressure and we responded really well to those situations. The early goal certainly gives you a lot of momentum. Two goals off of set pieces to put us up 3-0 at half. They got one back late, but we did a good job of managing the game from that point. It was a credit to the players and their effort. It was a well-earned victory.”
Georgia raced out of the gates scoring in the second overall minute with a goal from senior Bella Hartley. Becca Rasmussen found Hartley in the right side of the box eight yards out and Hartley wasted no time scoring the game’s first goal, setting the tone for the Bulldogs.
15 minutes later Georgia’s leading goal-scorer on the year, Marion Crowder, put home the second score of the game in the 16’. The goal followed a double assist from Sydney Shultis and Becca Rasmussen. Crowder headed home the double-assist for her fourth goal on the season.
The final goal of the first-half came off of a set piece via corner kick from Mariel Gutierrez. Maddie Burdick received the corner kick and dished out an assist of the night to Cara Smith. The senior scored her first goal of the season with four minutes remaining in the half giving the Bulldogs all the momentum heading into the locker rooms.
Vanderbilt added a goal in the 74’, but Georgia held off a late barrage to secure the 3-1 victory. Goalkeeper Louise Hogrell held her own the entire match, conceding her only goal when the Commodores were in desperation mode.
Vanderbilt outshot the Bulldogs 18 to 17. Hogrell finished the match with six saves including several in the first-half that saved the day for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs round out the weekend on the road against Auburn on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The game will be shown on the SEC Network+.
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