University of Georgia
LSU
Bulldogs Bounce Back With Sunday Win Over LSU
October 19, 2014 | Soccer
We caught up with Georgia's Rachel Garcia and Steve Holeman following the 2-0 win over LSU.
Oct. 19, 2014
ATHENS, Ga. --- The 17th-ranked Georgia soccer team rebounded from a Friday night loss to come away with a 2-0 shutout victory over LSU Sunday afternoon at the UGA Soccer Stadium, earning the weekend split to stand at 10-3-1 on the season and 5-2-1 in SEC action.
Georgia's goals both came in the first half, with Rachel Garcia and Gabby Seiler finding the back of the net, and the UGA defense held firm to record the team's sixth shutout of the year. The Bulldogs today moved back into third place in the conference race with three regular season games remaining. Georgia has now won at least 10 games in nine of the last 10 seasons.
"Today we got back to Georgia Soccer," said head coach Steve Holeman. "We kept the ball on the ground, we passed, we moved, and we had LSU chasing us a bit. Over the course of 90 minutes, that certainly paid dividends and the result was plenty of good opportunities."
The Bulldogs struck first in the 26th minute after several good looks at the goal previously, and took the 1-0 lead when Mariel Gutierrez sent one in to Garcia in the center. Garcia took a strong touch and was able to spin herself free for the shot and sent it past the keeper for her fourth of the year. For Gutierrez, it was the first career point as she became the 19th different UGA player to get in on the offense with either a goal or an assist in 2014.
Caroline Waters nearly gave Georgia its second goal of the day minutes later when she ran on and sent one on frame from the right flank, but LSU defender Alexis Urch cleared it off the line and was credited with a defensive save as Waters had beaten the keeper with her attempt.
Seiler had a shot blocked with under six minutes to play following a corner kick, but the sophomore midfielder finished on her next opportunity, giving Georgia a 2-0 lead less than five minutes before the intermission as she took a pass from Lauren Tanner and juked two defenders before beating the keeper high and under the crossbar for her team-leading ninth goal of the season.
Georgia took the 2-0 lead into halftime, out-shooting LSU 11-5 through 45:00.
Garcia opened the second half strong, nearly putting in her second of the day with a breakaway chance that went just high early on, and just after that midfielder Shayna Raekelboom fired a low line drive just wide of the target as the Bulldogs held onto the momentum coming out of the locker room.
Goalkeeper Louise Hogrell turned in a solid second half for Georgia, ending with three saves on the day in recording her second SEC clean sheet, and the Bulldogs held on to pick up the win. The home side ended with 24 shots on the afternoon - good for the the second-highest total of the season.
The Bulldogs return to action next weekend with a road game at Alabama on Friday night and a home game Sunday vs. Kentucky at 6 p.m., which will serve as Senior Night for Laura Eddy and Carli Shultis.
