Georgia Travels to Tennessee for Critical SEC Match

Friday, October 13

Knoxville, Tenn.

7 p.m.

University of Georgia

Tennessee

Georgia Travels to Tennessee for Critical SEC Match

October 12, 2023 | Soccer

Match Notes

RV Georgia (6-3-4, 2-2-2 SEC) at Tennessee (6-3-4, 1-2-3 SEC)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13
Time: 7 p.m. EDT
Location: Knoxville, Tenn.
Site: Regal Soccer Stadium (3,000)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Stream: SEC Network+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
X: @UGASoccer
Instagram: @UGASoccer

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

INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Tennessee leads 19-10-1
In Athens: Georgia leads 8-5-1
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads 12-1-0
Neutral: Tennessee leads 2-1-0
Last Meeting: Georgia – W, 2-0 (Nov. 1, 2022 – Pensacola, Fla.)
Current Streak: W1
GF / GA: 32 / 44

QUICK KICKS
Rocky Top Tussle
SEC East leader Georgia opens the home stretch of the 2023-24 regular season with a road match against Tennessee Friday evening in Knoxville. Over the next three matches, the Bulldogs will face the next three teams in the SEC East standings as seedings are settled for the upcoming SEC Tournament in Pensacola, Florida. Friday marks the 31st all-time meeting between Georgia and Tennessee, the first since the Bulldogs upset the Lady Vols, 2-0, in the SEC quarterfinals. The series has historically favored the home team, with Georgia only winning once in Knoxville: a 2-0 win on Oct. 31, 2008.

Tennessee enters Friday's match looking for its first win since Sept. 21 -- last week, the Lady Vols tied Kentucky and lost to LSU. Both Georgia and Tennessee have faced tough competition throughout the season, with Tennessee ranking first nationally in strenghth of schedule and Georgia ranking 11th overall.

Freshman Phenoms
Three members of the Georgia freshmen class were recognized by Top Drawer Soccer on its 2023 midseason top-100 list. Defender Kiera Staude was ranked No. 10 overall, the highest of any SEC first-year player. Staude has started all 13 matches on the backline, helping the Bulldogs post five shutouts. Midfielder Christian Brathwaite slotted at No. 70, while fellow midfielder Devon Winters snuck in at No. 94.

Tied Up with Gators
Georgia is looking to return to the win column after losing to Arkansas and tying Florida last week. On Sunday against the Gators, Georgia only allowed two Florida shots, both of which were saved by goalkeeper Jordan Brown in the first 11 minutes of play. The Bulldogs had a couple of opportunities to score, namely a saved header from midfielder Ellie Gilbert and a shot by midfielder Nicole Vernis that clipped the cross bar. The Gators' defense also stifled the Bulldog attack, forcing a season-high nine offsides calls.

Dawg Bites

Georgia remained unranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer polls, but did still receive one vote in the coaches' rankings. In the NCAA RPI rankings, Georgia moved down to 25th and ranks fifth among SEC schools. Eight past and future 2023 opponents currently rank in the top 40.
Georgia held Florida to zero corner kicks in Sunday's match, the first time the Bulldogs did not allow a corner kick against an SEC foe since Arkansas on Sept. 25, 2015.
Georgia's loss at Arkansas marked its first defeat against an SEC opponent away from Athens since a 3-1 loss at Tennessee on Oct. 24, 2021. The Bulldogs had earned a result in 10 straight matches (5-0-5), including regular season road and SEC Tournament neutral fixtures over three seasons.
Georgia's one shot on frame against Arkansas marked the fewest for the Bulldogs since a one-shot performance against No. 5 Alabama on Sept. 29, 2022. Coincidentally, Georgia also fell, 2-1, in that match with its lone score coming off an own goal.
During the Arkansas match, Georgia racked up an uncharacteristic 21 fouls, the program's most in a match since 27 against Auburn on Oct. 24, 2004.
Junior defender Jessie Dunn remains the iron woman among Georgia field players, tallying 90 minutes in 11 matches this season. Dunn has played a full 90 in 19 of her last 22 matches.
Through 13 matches, 11 different Bulldogs have scored a goal. Last year, the team tied a program record with 16 different scorers.
Goalkeeper Jordan Brown has now entered the program's top 10 in saves, shutouts, starts, and minutes, while currently holding the lowest goals against average in program history (0.84).
Graduate midfielder Mallie McKenzie is now ranked fifth in program history with 20 assists. She is also tied for fourth all-time in appearances with 88 matches, putting her on pace to break Abby Boyan's program record of 93.

Up Next
Georgia returns home to take on No. 18 Kentucky on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Turner Soccer Complex. The match will stream live on SEC Network+.