Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Georgia College Soccer team (5-5-1, 2-5 PBC) fell in a hard-fought, physical match to the Armstrong State University Pirates (10-1-1, 6-0-1 PBC), 2-1.
Playing on a Monday night was a change up for both schools due to the rain out, but that did not stop both teams from bringing their intensity. The match consisted of 19 total fouls, two yellow cards and seemingly endless physical battles for possession.
The excitement started in the 32nd minute when a shot off the crossbar was rebounded by Sarah Olin who fired another shot that appeared to go off the crossbar, but the officials ruled it a goal. The officials explained their view and said that the ball made contact with the bar that runs inside off the net and bounced out. The Pirates held their lead heading into the half.
The Bobcats came out hot in the second half, controlling most of the possession in the early going. Junior Rahliat Animashaun (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) received a pass off a throw in during the 50th minute, where she then proceeded to make a move to the top of the box and ripped a shot towards the far post but was saved by the diving Pirate keeper.
Georgia College continued to maintain the momentum in the second half as sophomore Sofia Lekas (Lizella) collected a pass from Animashaun, dribbled down field and fired a shot to the far post but was saved yet again by the diving Pirate keeper Erica Laurens.
The Bobcats caught a break in the 64th minute off a corner kick. Sophomore Ragnheidur Bjarnadottir (Gardabaer, Iceland) lofted a cross to the near side post and was deflected off an Armstrong defender into the net for the equalizing own goal. This seemed to be justice for apparent blown call earlier in the game; the ball never lies.
Armstrong State then retaliated in the 77th minute when Martha Trimbach shot from 30 yards out, then was deflected off a Bobcat defender in the box and into the near side net. Sophomore Bobcat keeper Ashlee Graham (Decatur) was anticipating the ball to go to the far side post, but the deflection pushed it to the near side post leaving her no chance. Graham recorded four saves Monday night.
Georgia College looked to even things back up in the 85th minute with a corner kick opportunity. Bjarnadottir sent the kick to the far side post where she found senior Millie York (Hove, England) who finessed a header that was stopped by a Pirate defender standing on the goal line adjacent to the post. If that defender was not there, the Bobcats would have been looking at bonus soccer.
The Bobcats played great soccer Monday night, but unfortunately came up short to one of the top teams in the conference. They are back in action when they visit the Patriots of Francis Marion University this Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on social media for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.
