Georgia Hosts Vanderbilt Friday Night at Turner

RV Georgia (5-2-3, 1-1-1 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt (6-2-3, 1-2-0 SEC)
Date: Friday, Sept. 29
Time: 6 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
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: Vanderbilt leads, 15-12-2
In Athens: Vanderbilt leads, 7-6-1
In Baton Rouge: Tied, 6-6-1
Neutral: Vanderbilt leads, 2-0-0
Last Meeting: T, 1-1 (Oct. 6, 2022 – Nashville, Tenn.)
Current Streak: T1
GF / GA: 39 / 47

QUICK KICKS
Visitors at the Dore
Georgia returns home to Turner Soccer Complex to face Vanderbilt in its first Friday night match of the season. The Bulldogs are seeking their first win over the Commodores since a 3-1 road victory in 2015. Last season in Nashville, Georgia earned a 1-1 draw when Ellie GIlbert netted a 16th-minute equalizer after Vanderbilt scored four minutes into the match. Vanderbilt split its two matchups last week, winning 2-0 at home against Ole Miss before falling 1-0 at Alabama. The Commodores currently rank 39th in NCAA RPI, the eighth-highest mark among SEC schools.

Show Me a Rebound
Georgia bounced back from a tough loss to LSU with a 2-1 win Sunday at Missouri. In the eighth minute, redshirt senior Nicole Vernis converted her second penalty of the season to give Georgia the early lead. Vernis has now posted a point in each of the Bulldogs' last four outings and in six of the previous seven, giving her seven total in the past five matches. Ten minutes later, redshirt freshman Summer Denigan extended the lead as she put away a deflected shot for her second score of the season. In the second half, Missouri increased the pressure but sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Brown stood strong, matching her career high with six saves.

McAlpine's Milestone
Georgia head coach Keidane McAlpine reached a historic achievement Sunday evening with his 200th career win. McAlpine is the sixth coach in the SEC to enter the club, joining Auburn's Karen Hoppa, Kentucky's Troy Fabiano, South Carolina's Shelley Smith, Texas A&M's G Guerrieri, and Vanderbilt's Darren Ambrose. Additionally, the program is nearing a milestone 300th victory in program history, standing at 294 wins entering the Missouri matchup.

Bethune is Back
The most anticipated debut in Georgia soccer history finally occurred in the 35th minute of the LSU match as two-time First Team All-American Croix Bethune took the field for the Bulldogs. The Alpharetta native wasted little time making her mark, scoring off a Nicole Vernis assist in the closing moments of the first half, moving her to 80 points in her illustrious career. Bethune joined Georgia this offseason following four seasons at USC, where she was a 2021 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and two-time Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year. Prior to the season, Bethune was named the No. 1 player in the country by Top Drawer Soccer.

Dawg Bites

Following last week's split, Georgia fell out of both the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer rankings, although the Bulldogs did receive four votes in the United poll. In the NCAA RPI rankings, Georgia fell to No. 14 and ranks third among SEC schools. Nine past and future 2023 opponents currently rank in the top 40.
The Missouri match was only the second of the Keidane McAlpine era in which Georgia and its opponent tied in total shots. The Bulldogs have won both matches, including last season's 2-0 win over Samford in the NCAA Tournament First Round.
Sunday's match was also Georgia's first win with fewer than 10 shots since a 3-2 victory at Texas A&M last season.
Through nine 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 (0.81).
The Bulldogs have made great use of its talented freshman class with first-year players combining for 23 starts through the first 10 matches, on pace to top the 33 started by freshmen in 2022. With forward Jocelyn Chinea making her debut against Missouri, nine of the eleven freshmen have seen the field this season.
With her assists in two of the past three matches, graduate midfielder Mallie McKenzie is now ranked fifth in program history with 20 assists. She is also now tied for seventh all-time in appearances with 85 matches.

Up Next
Georgia heads west to face No. 7 Arkansas next Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in Fayetteville. The match will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Promotions: Friday's match is Fútbol Fiesta at Turner Soccer Complex, with the first 500 spectators receiving a free T-shirt. Also, Georgia Soccer will be celebrating Walton County School Night.
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

Croix Bethune

Jordan Brown

Jocelyn Chinea

Summer Denigan

Mallie McKenzie

Nicole Vernis