No. 22 Georgia Hosts Southern Miss on Alumni Day

No. 22 Georgia (1-1-1, 0-0-0 SEC) vs. Southern Miss (2-2-0, 0-0-0 Sun Belt)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 3
Time: 1 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Live Stream: SEC Network+
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
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.

QUICK KICKS
Sunday Matinee with Southern Miss
No. 22 Georgia plays its first Sunday match of the season as it hosts Southern Miss at the Turner Soccer Complex. Sunday's match marks the first meeting between the schools, although head coach Keidane McAlpine faced the Golden Eagles while coaching at Birmingham-Southern in 2004. Georgia is the third of four SEC programs Southern Miss is facing this season, following Ole Miss and LSU and preceding a matchup with Alabama on Thursday. The match is also the first of two consecutive matches against Sun Belt opponents for the Bulldogs. Georgia holds an 11-0 record all-time against SBC schools, outscoring them by a combined 58-2 margin.

Blank Spaces on the Scoreboard
Despite dominating the run of play, Georgia and Minnesota played to a scoreless tie Thursday night in Athens, the first for the Bulldogs since a 0-0 result against LSU in the 2021 SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs outshot the Gophers, 20-4, including an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal, and allowed zero corner kicks, but an outstanding performance by Gopher keeper Megan Plaschko maintained the clean sheet. Georgia graduate forward Hannah White tied her career high with a team-leading six shots on the evening.

Alums Back to Athens
Georgia celebrates Alumni Day, welcoming back over 25 former players to Athens for a weekend-long celebration. The Bulldog alumnae will be recognized during a halftime celebration. Additionally, former All-SEC defender Cecily Stoute will join Jeff Dantzler and Tatum Hodge as a third member of the SEC Network+ broadcast booth.

Better Late Than Never
Georgia earned its first win of the season in dramatic fashion last week with a 2-1 victory over No. 22 UCF. Despite dominating the run of play, the Bulldogs trailed 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes. Freshman Caroline Smith tied the match in the 83rd minute off a goalkeeper rebound, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors in the process. Later, Hannah White finished off a long pass from senior Nicole Vernis, splitting two Knights defenders to deposit the winning goal with only 54 seconds remaining. White's goal was the second-latest regulation winner in program history, trailing only Jennifer Ahern's goal against UCF at the 89:35 mark on Sept. 5, 1998.

Feeling 22
Following the UCF win, Georgia replaced the Knights as the No. 22 team in the United Soccer Coaches poll, earning 26 points from the committee. The Bulldogs are also remained 25th in this week's Top Drawer Soccer rankings. Georgia's appearance in the United rankings marks its first time in the rankings since spending five weeks during the fall portion of the 2020-21 season. The last time Georgia was ranked in a traditional season was at No. 22 in October 2014.

A Stout Schedule
Georgia will face one of the nation's toughest schedules in 2023, beginning with a road match against No. 1 UCLA, followed by a home opener with No. 22 UCF. Georgia is also the only Power 5 program in the country to face an opponent from each of the other four leagues. WoSo Independent rated the schedule as the 10th-hardest nationally.

Portal Pick-Ups
Bethune was one of five transfers added to the roster by McAlpine. She was joined by USC teammate Hannah White, who scored five career goals and is the step-sister of Georgia senior forward Tori Penn. Midfielders Aly Akers (Notre Dame) and Summer Denigan (Florida State) add considerable depth to the position group, while fellow midfielder Nicole Vernis finally joins the lineup after sitting out last season following a transfer from Florida. The Bulldogs' transfer class was named third in the nation by the WoSo Independent.

Up Next
Georgia returns to the road for an in-state matchup at Georgia Southern on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. in Statesboro. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Free Admission: All matches at Turner Soccer Complex are free. No tickets are required for admission.
Parking: Due to construction at the Turner Soccer Complex, parking is first-come, first-serve and carpooling is encouraged. Overflow crowds will park at the Park & Ride (E23) lot on College Station Road with non-stop shuttle service throughout the match.
Entrance: Spectators will only be able to enter the Turner Soccer Complex on the first base side of Jack Turner Stadium. Gates will open one hour prior to kickoff.
Clear Bags: The UGA Clear Bag policy will be in effect for all home matches.
Prohibited Items: Umbrellas and outside noise makers are not permitted at Turner Soccer Complex.
Sustainability: Turner Soccer Complex is on a journey to become a zero-waste facility for the 2023 season.
Concessions: Concessions will be available via cashless/contactless payment.
Merchandise: The UGA Bookstore will be selling merchandise on site.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Aly Akers

Summer Denigan

Tori Penn

Caroline Smith

Cecily Stoute

Nicole Vernis

Hannah White