STATESBORO, Ga. ? Playing its second game in double-overtime, the Georgia Southern women's soccer team rallied from a 2-0, second-half deficit to tie up the match versus Chattanooga, Sunday afternoon, at Eagle Field, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
Chattanooga (0-5-2, 0-0-1) got up on the scoreboard first in the 33rd minute when Marlee Jenkins passed to teammate Sara Francescon on the left side. Francescon unloaded a shot from 10 yards out to go up 1-0.
In the second half, a Georgia Southern (2-6-1, 1-0-1) foul inside the box awarded Chattanooga a penalty shot in the 52nd minute. Lady Moc Chelsea Hurst found the back of the net to extend the Chattanooga lead to 2-0.
As evidenced by a 12-2 shot advantage in the second stanza, Georgia Southern turned things around offensively. In the 66th minute, the Eagles pushed the ball up into the box, and after the ball bounced around, Michelle Berard
(Kennesaw, Ga.) one-touched the loose ball into the back of the net for GSU's first goal, closing the gap to a 2-1 Chattanooga lead.
“We just realized we needed to step up as a team,” said head coach Ashley Hart. “We were playing on panic-mode for a while there. We talked about settling down the ball, being composed, knocking the ball around and playing better as a team.”
While the GSU defense held Chattanooga to zero shots on goal in the second half, the GSU offense continued to attack. In the 78th minute, Katie Gosnell (Charleston, S.C.) lobbed a long pass over top to teammate Ashley Toussaint (Warner Robins, Ga.). Toussaint connected with the header-shot into the left side of the goal, tying up the match, 2-2.
Though the Eagles produced seven more shots in the subsequent overtime periods, Chattanooga managed to avert the come-from-behind rally and hold on for the 2-2 stalemate.
Georgia Southern held a decided advantage over the Lady Mocs in shots (24-5) and corner kicks (7-2).
Goalkeeper Lauren Santos (Berwyn, Ill.) made one save on the day, while Chattanooga's Milla Junni stopped eight GSU shots.
The Eagles will hit the road to face Southern Conference opponent Charleston, Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at Patriots Point.
