VALDOSTA, Ga. – Coming off a pair of 1-1 ties, the Valdosta State women's soccer team returns to the road this week with matches at Georgia College and Georgia Southwestern. 
 
The Blazers head to Milledgeville, Ga., to face the Georgia College Bobcats Thursday at 5 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. matchup at Georgia Southwestern on Sunday.  VSU enters the week with a 0-0-2 record, while Georgia College is 0-1-1 and will host Delta State before entertaining the Blazers Thursday.  Georgia Southwestern is 1-1 on the year and will face Abraham Baldwin (ABAC) on Wednesday before VSU on Sunday.
 
Fans can access links to live stats and streaming of the matches at vstateblazers.com on the women's soccer schedule page.  
 
In the season-opener last Thursday, the Blazers used a goal in the 40^th minute from junior newcomer Taylor Youmans and held the 1-0 lead until the 86^th minute went MG's Teagan Mullins scored off a corner kick for the equalizer.  On Sunday, it was a role reversal as Palm Beach Atlantic scored early in the second half, before sophomore Maria Rojas scored in the 74^th minute for the tying goal.  
 
Rojas, the reigning Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year in 2024, has eight shots and six on target with one goal, while Youmans has one goal with four shots and two on frame this season.  Blazer senior goalkeeper Claire Timberlake finished with 12 saves and faced 22 shots in the two matches.
 
GC dropped a 1-0 decision to Belmont Abbey and tied Lincoln Memorial 0-0 this past week.  The Bobcats were picked fifth in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason poll and return 17 players from last season's 9-7-3 squad that was fourth in the Peach Belt and reached the conference semifinals for the first time since 2018.  
 
The Blazers and the Bobcats are 2-2-1 all-time in five meetings as GC leveled the series with a 3-0 victory in Valdosta on Sept. 14, 2024.  Prior to that, VSU had won two-straight meetings.  The Blazers are 1-1-1 in Milledgeville and won there 5-1 in 2023.  The first match of the series came in 2016 in a scoreless draw at GC.  Following that, the teams have played each year since 2021.   
 
Georgia Southwestern won 5-0 against Brewton-Parker to open the season and dropped a 2-0 loss at Rollins last Saturday.  Jordin Gundin leads the team with two goals scored and the game winner.  Three other players each have one goal this season.  The 'Canes have split time in goal between Alana Beddow and Bella Morey each playing a half of each match thus far.  Beddow is 1-1 with three saves, while Morey has two saves as the duo has combined for one shutout.  
 
The Hurricanes were picked seventh in the 2025 PBC Coaches Poll as the team went 7-8-1 last season overall and 4-4-1 in league play reaching the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament.  The Blazers are 3-0 all-time against GSW and won 3-0 last season in Valdosta on Sept. 18.  The Blazers have not conceded a goal to the Hurricanes, outscoring them 11-0 in the three meetings.  VSU opened its program history with a 6-0 win over GSW on Sept. 1, 2011, while winning 2-0 at GSW in 2023 and the win last season.   The Blazers also played two neutral site matches at GSW last year following the damage to campus from Hurricane Helene.  
 
Blazer head coach Stephen Andrew is the winningest coach in VSU women's soccer history at 66-53-16 (.549) and is 51-35-10 (.583) in GSC play.  He is in his 19^th season overall of coaching and is 206-108-25 (.645) with previous stops at Huntingdon College and Piedmont College.  
 
Following the two road matches, VSU returns home to host Embry-Riddle on Wed., Sept. 17 at 6 p.m., and then open Gulf South Conference play with Montevallo on Sat., Sept. 20 at 3 p.m.
 
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