Box Score MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College Soccer team (11-5, 7-3 PBC) had its biggest win of the 2017 season thus far Saturday, taking down No. 8 Columbus State University (13-2, 8-2 PBC) 2-1 at Bobcat Field.
Two second-half goals helped the Bobcats beat their first Nationally-ranked squad of 2017, as junior Cheyanne Rentsch (Cape Coral, Florida) got the scoring started in the 79th minute. Rentsch took a loose ball that was cleared weakly by the defense and popped it up over the top of the unsuspecting keeper for her first career goal.
Junior Amanda Bartholomew (Peachtree City) doubled the Bobcat advantage just under two minutes later, heading in a corner from freshman Becca Morris (Marietta). The assist was Morris' third, the goal the 20th of the amazing season for Bartholomew. The junior leads the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) with those 20 goals, and runs her goals-scored streak to nine straight matches.
CSU climbed back within striking distance with a goal from Olivia Jarrell, her 16th of the year in the 84th minute. The Cougars managed two more shots over the final 6:32, one save by Ashlee Graham (Decatur) and another that sailed high.
Graham finished with nine saves in the win, improving to 11-5. Bria Riancho falls to 11-2, making five saves for CSU. Junior defender Unnbjorg Omarsdottir (Reykjavik, Iceland) was a whirling dervish in the second half, thwarting numerous Cougar scoring attempts before they reached Graham.
Prior to the contest the Bobcats honored their three seniors for Senior Day, as Maddie Stephen (Norcross), Sarah Miller (Duluth) and Ragnheidur Bjarnadottir (Gardabaer, Iceland) all played in their last career home match.
The 20 goals this season for Bartholomew rank eighth in PBC history, tied with the 2007 season for Yusuf Olaitan of Clayton State University. The goals total is the most in the conference since 2009 when Kristin Burton of Armstrong State University scored 31.
The Bobcats pick up their second win all-time against 2016 NCAA Tournament Semifinalists CSU, and Georgia College's first win over the Cougars during the regular season.
The win gives the No. 5-seed in next week's PBC Tournament to the Bobcats, meaning a trip to No. 4-seed UNC Pembroke Tuesday, Oct. 31. The Bobcats fell to the Braves 1-0 during the regular season.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and the 2017 PBC Sportsmanship Institution of the Year, 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 Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.
