Georgia Hosts Georgia State Thursday in Peach State Showdown

Georgia (1-1-0) vs. Georgia State (1-1-0)
Date: Thursday, Aug. 26
Time: 7 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Live Stream: SEC Network+ (Jeff Dantzler, PxP / Tatum Hodge, Analyst)
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter: @UGASoccer

Social Media: For complete information on Georgia soccer, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGASoccer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

QUICK KICKS
Series History
Thursday's matchup is the 18^th all-time meeting between Georgia and Georgia State. Georgia leads the series, 15-0-2, and currently holds an eight-match winning streak. Georgia State has previously tied Georgia in 2000 and 2004. In the most recent meeting, Georgia prevailed in a 2-0 result in Athens on Sept. 15, 2019.

Looking for a Bounce Back
Georgia suffered its first loss of the season with a 3-1 defeat against Gonzaga on Sunday. Despite equaling the Zags in total shots and topping them in corners by a 7-2 margin, a pair of quick goals early in the second half gave Gonzaga its second win.

First Goal for Penn
Sophomore forward Tori Penn scored Georgia's lone goal of the match in the 30th minute, the first of her Bulldog career. Penn's score came off a corner crossed in by sophomore forward Madison Haugen, who knotted her first assist of the season. Through two games, five different Bulldogs have scored off feeds from six different teammates.

Run of Consistency
Thanks to a quartet of Bulldogs, the Georgia starting lineup has remained remarkably consistent. Graduate defender Kayla Bruster has started in 60 consecutive appearances, while seniors Abby Boyan (54), Bella Ponzi (52), and Cecily Stoute (52) have also continued streaks of their own. With a start against Georgia State, senior goalkeeper Emory Wegener will join the "50 Club."

Dominant Opener
Powered by three goals in the opening three minutes, Georgia opened its 2021 season with a decisive 7-1 victory over Campbell. The seven goals scored matched the previous program record for goals in a season opener, set in a 7-1 win over College of Charleston on Aug. 25, 2000. The Bulldogs outshot the Camels by a 23-4 margin, including a 16-3 advantage in shots on goal. The win also gives Georgia back-to-back victorious season openers for the first time since 2011-12.

Double Dip for the Trio
In the win over Campbell, three Georgia players: graduate forward Mollie Belisle, senior midfielder Dani Murguia, and freshman forward Danielle Lewin each scored two goals. It was the third time in program history in which three Bulldogs scored two goals in a game. The feat was previously accomplished against Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2003 by Jessica Winton, Geneil Newbern, and Ashley King, as well as against Stetson on Sept. 19, 1997 by Jennifer Lewis, Allison Thornbury, and current deputy athletic director and sport facilitator Stephanie (Yarem) Ransom.

Not Messing Around
Graduate forward Mollie Belisle started the scoring for Georgia with a goal in the second minute of play, marking the fastest season-opening score for the Bulldogs since Carrie Patterson scored 35 seconds into the 2009 opener against Kennesaw State.

Starting Off Strong
Freshman forward Danielle Lewin came off the bench for Georgia and posted two goals in her regular season debut. Lewin's five shots were the most for a Bulldog freshman in their debut since Alexa Newfield tallied seven against Duke on Aug. 20, 2010.

Backline Impresses in Debut
Georgia's backline anchored a terrific defensive debut against Campbell, holding the Camels to just four shots in the contest. Campbell, the nation's leader in corner kicks during the 2020-21 season, was held to just two on Thursday, while Georgia amassed 10.

Sister, Sister
Freshman forward Caroline Belisle made her Georgia debut on Thursday, playing 33 minutes off the bench and joining her older sister, Mollie, on the field. In Georgia's first exhibition game at Duke, graduate defender Kayla Bruster shared the pitch with her sister, Baleigh, a freshman on the Blue Devils.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Admission to Turner Soccer Complex is free. A selection of concession items will be available at value prices, with jumbo hot dogs and 20 oz. bottled sodas selling for $2.50, while 20 oz. bottled Dasani®, candy, and popcorn tubs are $2. All concession and merchandise items at Turner Soccer Complex are cashless and contactless – MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover are all accepted.

Georgia Hosts Georgia State Thursday in Peach State Showdown

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Players Mentioned

Caroline Belisle

Mollie Belisle

Abby Boyan

Kayla Bruster

Madison Haugen

Danielle Lewin

Dani Murguia

Tori Penn

Bella Ponzi

Cecily Stoute

Emory Wegener