MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | A nearly 30-minute lightning delay didn't deter the Georgia College & State University women's soccer team in their season opener against North Greenville University Thursday (Aug. 27) evening at the Bobcat Soccer Field.
The Bobcats got two goals and an assist from
Mackenzly Cheely as they shut out the Trailblazers 5-0.
GCSU improved to 1-0-0, while North Greenville slipped to 0-1-0. GCSU travels to Valdosta, Georgia, for its first road match of the season when they face Valdosta State University in a 5 p.m. contest Sunday (Aug. 30).
Savannah Sause caught lightning for the Bobcats as she scored 41 seconds into the match off a through ball from teammate
Brittany Bakke. The Bobcats doubled their lead when Bakke scored at the 22:50 mark off a
Madelyn Heckathorn assist.Â
Cheely scored the first of her two strikes on an unassisted goals nearly seven minutes in the second half to extend the lead to 3-0. Less than three minutes later
Mia Palumbo got in the scoring column after a Cheely assist. Cheely closed out the scored at the 59:15 mark of a Palumbo assist.
GCSU outshot North Greenville 19-6, including a 10-2 margin on goal. The Bobcats recorded all six corner kicks in the game, while
Kassidy Fortin and
Ella Hayes combined on the clean sheet. Hayes and Fortin each recorded a save between the pipes for the Bobcats.
About GCSU Athletics
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for five consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 13 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won six consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life."
