VALDOSTA, Ga.
— Valdosta State earned a decisive 3-1 win over Auburn University at Montgomery on Wednesday night at the VSU Soccer Complex.
The Blazers (5-3-3, 4-2-2 GSC) and the Warhawks traded chances early, but the game stayed scoreless until Natalie Ocampo broke through in the 12th minute with the first goal of her career. After a throw-in, Rachel Andrews played the ball back to Kyndal Smith, who sent it ahead to Ocampo. She worked a couple of dribbles before sending a shot from distance into the net.
AUM earned back-to-back corner kicks to chase the equalizer but couldn't convert either one.
VSU kept the pressure on. Tatyana Machado put a shot on target in the 37th minute, but AUM goalkeeper Leslie Azouer made the save. Andrews tried to slip one through in the 44th minute, and Azouer answered again, keeping the Blazers' lead at 1-0 going into halftime.
The Warhawks threatened right out of the break. Eva Hendriks fired a shot 30 seconds into the second half, but VSU goalkeeper Alannah Zander turned it away.
The Blazers doubled their lead in the 53rd minute. Off another throw-in, Andrews floated a pass to Jenni McIntosh, who knocked it in off the post to make it 2-0.
AUM's Chloe Wallace tried to answer right away, but Zander denied her shot. Valdosta State then put the game out of reach in the 64th minute, when Ameliah Dixon sprinted down the right side and crossed to Sarah Hudson, who scored her eighth goal of the season for a 3-0 lead.
AUM's Izzy Morley converted a penalty in the 78th minute to cut it to 3-1, but the Blazers shut the door from there.
Valdosta State next travels to Huntsville, Alabama, to face the University of Alabama in Huntsville on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
Stay up to date on all Blazer Athletics news by downloading the Blazer mobile app for exclusive content, gameday notifications, schedules, rosters and more. Fans can also follow @VState_Blazers on Instagram and X and like the Valdosta State Blazers Facebook page.
