CARROLLTON, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team rounded out the 2021 regular season with a dominating 3-1 win over the West Georgia Wolves in the Red Clay Rivalry. The Blazers improve to 11-5-1 on the year and 8-4-1 in Gulf South Conference play, while the Wolves fall to 9-7 on the year and 7-6 in the GSC.
 
In the first half, the Blazers' offense continuously put pressure on UWG's back line. The Blazers got on the board in the 19th minute from a shot by freshman defender Barbara Kiger and an assist from senior Kyleigh Reedy. Kiger scored her first collegiate goal as a Blazer and finished the match with one shot and one goal, while Reedy rounded out the game with one assist in 90 minutes.
 
Freshman Molly Wooldridge got a shot off in the 29th minute to the top right corner, but UWG's Haley Brinkman got a hand on the ball and pushed it out for a VSU corner kick. Wooldridge finished the match with six shots and one on goal.
 
VSU ended the first 45, outshooting the Wolves 9-3 with two shots on frame, four corners, and one goal, while UWG had no shots on goal and one corner kick.
 
In the second half, the Blazers continued their blazing offense. In the 59th minute, sophomore Amber Saunders gave VSU an insurance goal, scoring off a corner kick to put the Blazers up 2-0. Saunders finished the match with one shot and one on goal in 49 minutes.
 
The Wolves scratched back at the Blazers' lead in the 65th minute from UWG's Hillary Resendiz to bring the scoreline to 2-1 in favor of the Blazers.
 
In the 80th minute, freshman Taylor Morris was fouled inside the Wolves' box, and graduate Lexie Hall lined up and slotted the penalty kick home to boost the Blazers to the final scoreline of 3-1. Hall scored her second goal of the year, with the first goal coming from a penalty kick in VSU's 4-0 win over Spring Hill College on September 26 at home.
 
The Blazers finished the second half with seven shots, three on goal, and two corners, while the Wolves recorded 12 shots, three on goal and two corners.
 
Freshman Landon Carter played between the pipes all 90 minutes for the Blazers and recorded two saves in 15 shots faced. Her record on the year improves to 3-1-0.
 
The series between the Wolves and the Blazers moves to 7-4-2 all-time and 4-1-1 in Carrollton. With the win, the Blazers have clinched a first-round GSC tournament home playoff match slated for Sunday, November 7 at 1 p.m. against the West Florida Argonauts. Previously this season, the Blazers and Argonauts battled to a 0-0 double-ovetime draw on September 24 at the VSU Soccer Complex.

The GSC tournament semifinals and championship are scheduled for Nov. 11-13 at Ashton Brosnaham Park in Pensacola, Fla.
 
To stay up to date on all things Blazer soccer and the GSC tournament opponents, visit vstateblazers.com or follow Blazer Athletics on social media.