On Thursday, Georgia came to play Mizzou at Audrey J. Walter Soccer Stadium. Georgia, coming into this game, was 8-3-1 so far early this season. The Bulldogs lost a hard-fought game to a Top 10 team in the country in #8 Arkansas (4-1) last Sunday. Georgia was looking to bounce back and get back to .500 (2-2-1) in the SEC standings. Mizzou was looking to end their five-game losing streak against the Bulldogs.
Early in the 1st half, in the second minute, there is a foul on Georgia’s junior Forward Mallie McKenzie. Mizzou has a free kick opportunity and a big chance to take an early lead. Junior Caroline Lyman takes the free kick for the Tigers, then seconds later Senior Julissa Cisneros takes a shot on goal to the top center of the goal but was saved by goalkeeper Emory Wegener.
Georgia throughout the first period really dictated the pace and really didn’t let Mizzou have many opportunities to get anything going offensively. Georgia was really making Mizzou’s goaltender McKenna Sheehan to have to be on her toes all game. She was a wall defensively and didn’t let anything go through her and into the back of the net.
Later, in the first half, in the 34th minute, Georgia found a way to penetrate the wall and sneak a ball into the back of the net. Senior Bella Ponzi was responsible for doing just that for her second goal of the season. Mizzou tried to respond but Georgia’s goaltender Emory Wegener was on her A game from the start.
At the half, Mizzou hadn’t been able to get anything going on the attack offensively, with only two shots on goal. While Georgia had 12 shots on goal and connected with one of those and is up 1-0.
The 2nd half was all Georgia, setting the pace again throughout and really wearing out the Tigers. Mizzou didn’t just lay down, they kept trying to battle back, but just couldn’t put it past Emory Wegener who was the wall in the net all game for the Bulldogs. The Tigers had only two shots as well in the period. Georgia prevailed 1-0.
Georgia improved to 9-3-1 on the season and 2-2-1)in the conference looking to keep their winning streak going, while traveling back home to Athens to play Kentucky on Sunday. Mizzou is looking to put this game behind them while they are on a six-game losing streak and are 4-8 and 0-) in the conference. They will travel to Gainesville to face the Gators on Sunday as well.