VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team clinched its first win in program history versus the University of North Georgia, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at the VSU Soccer Complex in the 2021 home-opener. The Blazers recorded their third win of the young season and improved to 3-1 overall while the Nighthawks fell to 0-1-1.
Blazer sophomore Bailey Hern quickly got a shot on goal in the eighth minute, but UNG's goalkeeper, Sierra Fowler, denied Hern's attempt. Hern would go on to finish the game with three shots on goal and assisted both goals for the Blazers as she earned GSC Player of the Week honors this week.
VSU and UNG were deadlocked 0-0 to end the first half. The Blazers recorded three shots while the Nighthawks recorded four.
To start the second half, Blazer freshman, and GSC Freshman of the Week, Molly Wooldridge, kicked off the scoring campaign for the Blazers in the 48th minute. Wooldridge picked up her third goal of the season off an assist from Hern and recorded the Blazer's first ever goal against the Nighthawks in the fourth meeting between the two schools. Wooldridge finished the game with three shots and one on goal along with the score.
The Nighthawks and Blazers battled consistently throughout the second half, with movement on both sides of the field. In the 73rd minute, the Nighthawks recorded their only goal of the match by UNG's Taylor Malasek.
The tie was short lived, however, as the Blazers responded in less than a minute later with a goal from freshman Jocelyn Oballe. Oballe recorded her first goal of the season, her first game winner and first goal of her collegiate career. The Blazers would go on to win the match 2-1 on a hot day in South Georgia.
For the match, UNG held a slim 12-11 lead in shots, but VSU held a 7-4 lead in shots on target. VSU goalkeeper, junior Samantha Blanford, made three saves in the match, including a great punch-out save denying Malasek of a score on a breakaway early in the second half. UNG keeper Sierra Fowler had five saves in the losing effort.
The Blazers continue their four-match homestand Friday, September 17 at 6 p.m., against Embry Riddle. Visit vstateblazers.com or follow Blazer Athletics on social media for updates on Blazer soccer.
