Columbus spoils Saturday soccer at GCSU

Oct. 17—Before goals, there must be shots on goal ... or just plain shots on a soccer pitch.

Georgia College & State University couldn't get any of the three during the first half of play on a pleasant Saturday afternoon at the Milledgeville West Campus complex. Columbus State, a co-leader in women's soccer in the Peach Belt Conference, maintained that tie with North Georgia by defeating the Bobcats (6-5-2, 3-3-1) 3-1.

Georgia College's only goal of the day came with less than 80 seconds remaining in regulation, and it was placed in about the same manner by the same player as a game-winning point against USC-Beaufort on Sept. 20.

In addition to going through the first half without a shot taken, the Bobcats didn't get a corner kick in the first 45 minutes of action. The initial shot came about 10 minutes into the second half and was right after Columbus State staked a 3-0 lead. The first corner kick by the home team was about five game minutes later.

Down to 1:20 remaining, the Bobcats had a corner kick that Columbus defended back in the direction the soccer ball came. Midfielder Sarah King, who took the corner, was still in the area to take the ball and send in a crossing pass. It wasn't a corner kick by definition, but had the same angle and destination. The recipient was defender Sydney Charles and, like she did to beat Beaufort on the same side of the same field, she ended the shutout using her head.

Madison Drake played the full match in goal for head coach Jack Marchant and recorded 11 saves. On the other end, the Cougar keeper only had to play the ball a few times in the first half and had two saves in the second half. The Bobcats made seven shots in all and three corner kicks.

In terms of possession time with the ball, Georgia College was controlling the action for much of the onset, but when Columbus took over it was with a purpose. Drake made a save at 40:45 of the first half. The Bobcats tried to get Morgan Amrozowicz and Amanda Dewey involved in the offense, and Amrozowicz drew a foul to the left outside her penalty box. The Bobcats couldn't get the ball on goal.

Columbus State would subsequently charge down the right side, cross the ball in and score at 35:11.

Drake's next save came at 28:18, and it was after a block of a shot with defense coming from Bridget Johnson, Katelyn Smith and Chloe Markey. Adriana Duque, a midfielder, had a key clearing kick of a free kick into the box at under 26 minutes, and about a minute later there was a kick save from another charging Cougar effort on the right.

The Columbus attack kept coming, King tipping a shot to her keeper and Drake making a save at 23:15. But with less than 19 minutes before the half, the Bobcats were the victim of an own goal giving the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

At 14:54, Drake had a save, then her defense led to a Columbus corner kick cleared away by Markey. Mia Palumbo gave GCSU the non-goalie save kicking away a corner kick shot at under 13 minutes. At 3:47, the Bobcats received a yellow card. Officials also had to speak with Sarah Mason, and that got her playing with a purpose. She earned her team a free kick outside the left of the box, which Grace Phillips took but with no results.

Dewey, the season leader in goals with four and points with nine, sat out the second half after being treated in the foot and ankle area midway through the first half.

Two minutes into the second half, Columbus State took a corner kick headed away by Katherine Crouse. Two minutes later the Cougars missed a header, and at 41:07 Drake had another save. The yellow cards evened up with CSU receiving one at 38:36.

From a deflection by Drake, Columbus State rebounded the ball and put in its third goal with 36:24 remaining.

Abbey Eison provided a lot of energy and push to the Bobcat attack for the last 30 minutes of play. Charles would draw a foul just outside the box, and Eison lined up for the free kick. Columbus had the catch at 29:50.

Drake would slap a long free kick over the goal at the 22-minute mark. Other CSU corners were defended by Drake and Taylor Salvaggio. Drake's final save was at 7:21.

The Bobcats close out their homestand Wednesday, Oct. 18, with a 3 p.m. non-conference match against Tusculum University.