CARROLLTON, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team used an overtime penalty kick goal from senior
Paige Taylor for a 4-3 victory at West Georgia Sunday afternoon. VSU evened its record at 1-1 on the spring season and 1-0 in Gulf South Conference play, while West Georgia fell to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in league play.
In a wild offensive game that saw a combined seven goals and five combined in the second half and overtime, VSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of late scores in the first half and led 3-1, before the Wolves came storming back with a goal in the 66
th minute and one in the 86
th to level the match.
A pair of costly fouls on UWG in overtime set the Blazers up for the winning PK from Taylor. It was her second career converted PK to tie the school record for most career PK's made and her third career attempt, also tying the school-record. Taylor converted the PK past UWG's Haley Brinkman at the 93:59 mark for the winner.
VSU improved to 9-10-20 all-time in overtime matches and won its first overtime match since a 1-0 win over Alabama Huntsville on Sept. 28, 2018, snapping a string of three-straight losses. The win also improved VSU's record against West Georgia to 6-4-2 and 3-1-1 in Carrollton. Today's victory was the seventh overtime match against UWG in series history (2-3-2).
In a very tight match statistically, UWG held a 11-10 lead in shots and 7-5 advantage in shots on goal, while VSU had four saves and the Wolves had one stop. UWG held a 7-2 lead in corner kicks, including 5-0 in the first half.
UWG tallied the first two shots of the game in the 24
th and 25
th minutes with one by Cassidi Thomas and one from Jazmine Santiago. The Wolves had four early corner kicks, while VSU was called for three offsides. UWG's Madison Cobb had the first shot on frame as VSU junior goalkeeper
Samantha Blanford made the save. Moments later, VSU junior
Kyleigh Reedy took the Blazers' first shot of the game at the 26:26 mark.
VSU newcomer
Rachael Howard found the back of the net for an unassisted score and the first goal of the match at the 39:56 mark for a 1-0 lead. It was her first goal in a VSU uniform as she had an assist on Wednesday in the loss to Flagler. With just 21 seconds left in the half, VSU junior
Lyana Steele scored her first career goal with an assist from sophomore
Amber Saunders and a 2-0 lead at intermission.
Just 2:01 into the second half, UWG's Hillary Resendiz scored an unassisted goal, pulling the Wolves within 2-1, but Howard wasn't done as she scored her second goal of the game off an assist from junior
Lauren Hicks and a 3-1 score.
The offense continued to pick up for both teams in the second half and UWG's Allison Smithwick scored at the 65:56 mark with an assist from Sadie Prince for a 3-2 score and got the equalizer six seconds later off a shot from Madison Cobb with a save from Blanford. Jazmine Santiago cleaned up the mess with an assist from Tyler Buford. In the final minute, Cobb had a shot and Blanford had the save to preserve the tie and send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, UWG had a corner kick early – the seventh of the game by the Wolves. The two fouls and PK followed for the winner from Taylor. It was her third career goal and second career game winner.
Howard had a team-high four shots with three on frame and two scores, while Taylor had one shot on goal and the winner. Howard was named the Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game for her two scores. Blanford evened her record at 1-1 this season with four saves for her fifth career victory (5-2).
The Wolves had four shots and three on frame from Cobb, while three different players each had goals in the match. Brinkman had one save between the posts for UWG.
VSU returns home to host Lee on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. and then will host Montevallo Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. with both matches at the VSU Soccer Complex.
