VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team finished the 2024 regular season with a 1-1 tie versus Lee University Wednesday morning at the VSU Soccer Complex.
 
Wednesday's match was a makeup from the originally scheduled date during Hurricane Helene. Both the Blazers and Lady Flames now will face each other again on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Cleveland, Tenn., in the quarterfinal round of the Gulf South Conference Championship.  
 
The Blazers finished the regular season with an 8-6-3 record overall and a 5-4-3 mark in the league, while Lee stands at 6-4-6 overall and 6-2-4 in league play.  Blazer senior Molly Wooldridge scored her fourth goal of the season in the 19^th minute on an assist from senior Jocelyn Oballe, while Lee's Kassidy Kellett scored her first goal of the year in the 69^th minute.  Blazer junior goalkeeper Claire Timberlake finished with 11 saves in the match to tie her career-high.  
 
Lee dominated much of the attack through the first ten minutes and held a 4-1 lead in shots during that span.  Lee's Ashely Eulo had a great look, but Timberlake climbed the ladder on the shot and made the leaping save forcing a corner kick.  
 
At the 18:37 mark, Oballe continued her strong play over the past couple of games as she passed across the field to an open Wooldridge who headed it low past Lee goalkeeper Abby Whitcomb for a 1-0 lead.  It was Wooldridge's fourth goal of the season.  A few minutes later, Kellett had a good look and save from Timberlake as it also caromed off the post.  
 
Late in the half, seniors Ansley Decenzo and Ana Moleka each had great looks back-to-back, but Whitcomb was there for the save each time as Decenzo received a great pass as Whitcomb came out for the challenge.  Under a minute in the half, freshman Maria Rojas gave a great pass to Moleka as her shot hit off the post.  
 
For the half, VSU had nine shots with five on target, while Lee had eight shots and three on target.  Timberlake had five saves in the opening half, while Whitcomb had two.  Wooldridge paced the Blazers with two shots and the lone goal.  
 
In the second half, Lee pressured like it did in the first, as Timberlake made three big saves through the first ten minutes of the half to preserve the clean sheet to that point.  The last one was a breakaway from Isabella Valentine as Timberlake came out for the challenge and VSU was able to clear the rebound.  
 
Lee tied the match in the 69^th minute on a goal from outside the box from Kassidy Kellett for a 1-1 score as she fired her shot low and left of Timberlake.  In the closing seconds of the match, Eulo had a shot and save from Timberlake for her 11^th save of the match.  
 
For the match, the Blazers finished with 12 shots and three on target as Wooldridge had three shots and one on frame to lead the team with the goal.  Oballe had one shot and the assist.  For the Lady Flames, they finished with 19 shots and 12 on target as Kellett had the goal with two shots on goal.  Whitcomb finished with two saves for Lee.