Eagles Notch Season-Opening 2-1 Win Over North Florida

Wednesday, August 12

Statesboro

7 PM

Georgia Southern University

1-0-0, 0-0-0

North Florida

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
North Florida	1	0	1
Georgia Southern	0	2	2

Georgia Southern team during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern goalkeeper Quinn Wilson (0) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern defender Claire Casey (19) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Caitlin Conroy (2) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Meredith Pugh (3) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Addison Comer (20) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Kendall Wilson (7) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Maya Zmistowski (4) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern forward Natalie Heckathorn (10) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern defender Hailey Esser (12) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Emma McRae (6) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Emma Chapman (11) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern defender Olivia Golden during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern forward Scarlett Hirschy (33) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern midfielder Paisley Cathey (15) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern defender/midfielder Maryann Beach (8) during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

Celebration during the NCAA women’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on August 12, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

8/12/2026 9:50:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

Addison Comer, Paisley Cathey notch second-half goals as Georgia Southern collects come-from-behind win over the Ospreys

STATESBORO - Paisley Cathey's rocket shot from distance in the 84th minute was the match winner as Georgia Southern women's soccer started off the 2026 campaign with a 2-1 victory over visiting North Florida on Wednesday evening at Bo Pitts Field.

The Eagles (1-0) tallied both goals in the second half to upend the Ospreys (0-1) and avenge a one-goal loss to North Florida suffered last season in Jacksonville. Georgia Southern will take on another A-Sun foe next on Sunday, taking on FGCU at Noon in Statesboro.

North Florida took the 1-0 lead in the contest in the 13th minute as Skya Horth lobbed a cross into the box from the left side that Paige McSwigan volleyed into the corner of the net. Despite the Eagles holding a 7-3 edge in shots in the first half, the Ospreys would go into the break with the one-goal advantage.

In the second half, the Eagles would equalize in the 53rd minute. Off of a throw-in, Caitlin Conroy got the ball near the end line and crossed into the box to Addison Comer, whose one-time shot beat the Osprey goalkeeper high.

Georgia Southern kept the pressure on and finally got the breakthrough in the 84th minute. Maryann Beach gathered a ball in the right midfield and passed to Cathey, who was about five yards outside of the Box. Cathey's shot was blasted into the upper right corner of the net for the match-winner. It was the second straight season opener in which Cathey has tallied a goal for the Eagles.

"We talked about small margins and we knew, although we're down in the first half, we felt we had played really well and just didn't have much to show for it at half," Georgia Southern head women's soccer coach Chris Adams said. "Credit to our team in that they didn't get discouraged. We did talk about in the locker room at half that if you get that first one to go 1-1 and you're at home, all the momentum in the world goes on your side. I knew the guts that our kids had and I knew that with that mentality, we would come out and we'd find a second one. Very proud of them finding a way, coming from behind and winning a one goal game."

The Eagles finished the night with a 21-6 edge in shots. Quinn Wilson picked up the win in net for Georgia Southern making two saves, while Sofia Miliancano made four saves in net for the Ospreys. The Eagles had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks and Georgia Southern was whistled for 13 fouls on the night, while North Florida was whistled for eight fouls and three offsides.