VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team scored the first two goals Sunday afternoon in a matter of one minute, 32 seconds, but visiting Delta State responded with five-straight goals handing VSU a 5-2 loss.
The loss dropped VSU to 3-5-1 overall and 2-4 in Gulf South Conference play, while Delta State improved to 8-5 overall and 5-3 in league play. DSU's Rylee McGee scored three goals for a hat trick, while her teammate Jae'lasha Julien added two scores.
VSU had goals from sophomore
Ansley Decenzo and freshman
Victoria Bahr, along with assists from senior
Amber Saunders and sophomore
Taylor Morris. The Blazers held a 12-9 lead in shots and both teams had eight shots on target. VSU had three saves in the match from sophomore
Emma Pruett, while DSU goalkeeper Bailey Daugherty had six saves.
Individually, Bahr had five shots and four on target with one goal to lead VSU, while McGee had four shots on target and three scores and Julien added two shots on frame for goals for the Lady Statesmen. Poppy Derhun had two of the assists for DSU.
Things looked promising early for the red and black as a barrage of shots one from Bahr and a second from Saunders as Decenzo scored off the rebound for the 1-0 lead at the 25:47 mark in the first half. Following two corner kicks just over 90 seconds later, Bahr scored off the assist from Morris for a 2-0 lead.
DSU cut the deficit in half, just 21 seconds later, as Julien scored her first goal off an assist from Casey Stalder. McGee then scored in the 35
th minute off an assist from Rainey Niles for a 2-2 score and she followed 2:21 seconds later which would be the eventual game winner and a 3-2 lead at intermission.
Following a pair of good looks from senior
Mallory Johnson, Julien scored her second goal at the 57:28 mark for a 4-2 lead and then McGee capped the hat trick with a penalty kick goal at the 67:02 mark for a 5-2 score. VSU had five shots down the stretch with two saves from Daugherty, one off the crossbar and two sailed high.
VSU returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m., at the VSU Soccer Complex versus Mississippi College.
