>> GEORGIA COLLEGE
Georgia College & State University (GCSU) soccer ended its 2022 fall season with a 5-8-3 overall record, going 4-4-2 in the Peach Belt Conference.
Under new head coach Jack Marchant, the Bobcats opened their season Aug. 26, on the road in Florida for a two-game slate. The first contest at Florida Southern College delivered the first shutout of the season with seven saves credited to senior goalkeeper Kate Richardson in a scoreless tie.
Two days later, the Bobcats took a tough 2-1 loss against Saint Leo University. Johns Creek’s Amanda Dewey led the offense with two shots, both on goal, with one going in.
GCSU continued the season Sept. 1, heading south again to take on Valdosta State University, where it suffered a 2-0 loss. Atlanta’s Sarah Mason led the offense, getting off two shots with one on goal.
The Bobcats played their first home contest of the season Sept. 3, and finally broke into the win column with a 5-1 decision over the University of Auburn at Montgomery. Alexis Bergamini, from West Suffield, Conn., and Mason led the shooting with four shots on goal apiece, with Mason knocking in two goals. Newnan’s Ellie Watson, Taylor Salvaggio of Bethlehem, and Dewey also scored to round out the offense while the GCSU defense allowed only two shots on goal.
The Bobcat’s homestay was short-lived as they hit the road for another three-game road stretch, beginning Sept. 7, with a cross-state match against the University of West Georgia, where GCSU took a tough 1-0 loss.
Three days later, the Bobcats redeemed themselves with a 1-0 win at Young Harris College to kick off their Peach Belt Conference play. Next, the team remained in conference play at USC Beaufort in South Carolina. The Bobcats fell behind 2-1 in the first half but rallied with two goals in the second from Martin and Morgan Amrozowicz out of Dacula.
The team then returned home for two conference games, beginning Sept. 17, against against Georgia Southwestern State University. GCSU took down GSU 2-0 to kick off PBC play this year at Bobcat Field. Mason and Amrozowicz scored the goals, with Mason also picking up an assist on the Amrozowicz goal. Meanwhile, Richardson nabbed six saves in the net.
The next home game resulted in a tough 3-0 loss to 2022 PBC Tournament Champions Flagler. Richardson corralled 10 saves for a new season high after facing 13 shots on goal.
GCSU went back on the road Sept. 28, to take on Clayton State University in the first of three away games. Clayton scored in the first half, but Martin responded for the Bobcats in the second and they finished with the 1-1 tie.
The following week, GCSU hit the road again for a conference contest against Albany State University, where Covington’s Aralyn Everett contributed the game’s lone goal in the first half that stood up to give the Bobcats a 1-0 shutout win.
The Bobcats wrapped up its regular season road games Oct. 8, with a tough 2-0 loss to last year’s PBC Tournament Runners-up Columbus State University. Richardson faced 10 shots on goal and had eight saves.
After an Oct. 12 date against Newberry was canceled, GCSU returned to Bobcat Field to conclude its regular season with three home games and went 0-2-1.
The first contest, on Senior Night, resulted in a 3-1 loss Oct. 15, to the University of North Georgia. Martin scored the lone goal for GCSU off a penalty kick in the second half.
The next home game was a mid-week challenge against USC Aiken, in which the Pacers took down the Bobcats 2-1. Dewey scored for GCSU, with an assist from Bergamini.
The regular season concluded Oct. 22, with a 1-1 tie with Lander University after Mason scored for Georgia College.
The Bobcats entered quarterfinals PBC Tournament play Oct. 27, as the No. 6 seed taking on No. 3 seed North Georgia, who had delivered a 3-1 loss to GSCU just two weeks earlier.
UNG took the lead with an early goal in the first half, but Everett responded just past the 15-minute mark with a goal for the Bobcats, assisted by Summer Ligon, from Carrollton.
After heading into the second half still tied, UNG scored within the first five minutes, then again 15 minutes later to take a 3-1 lead. GSCU senior Bergamini scored her first goal of the season within five minutes, though, to cut the UNG lead in half and close out her four-year Bobcats career after a final UNG goal put them up 4-2 and ended the GSCU soccer season.