Georgia Hosts Samford in Battle of Bulldogs Thursday

Georgia (2-2-2, 0-0-0 SEC) vs. Samford (2-4-1, 0-0-0 SoCon)
Date: Thursday, Sept. 12
Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Stream: SEC Network+ (Jeff Dantler, 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: Georgia leads 3-0-1
In Athens: Georgia leads 2-0-0
In Birmingham: Tied, 1-0-1
Last Meeting: Georgia – W, 2-0 (Nov. 11, 2022 – Athens, Ga. – NCAA Tournament First Round)
Current Streak: Georgia, W1
GF / GA: 7 / 2

QUICK KICKS
Bulldog Battle
Georgia, ranked 19th in the Top Drawer Soccer rankings, continues its four-match homestand with a matchup against Samford Thursday at Turner Soccer Complex. Georgia returned to the win column last Thursday with a 2-0 victory over Illinois, its first multi-goal win over a Power Four opponent since beating Tennessee, 2-0, in the 2022 SEC Tournament. Similar to Georgia, Samford has faced a difficult non-conference schedule including matches against No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 13 Auburn, and Ole Miss.

Georgia leads the all-time series, 3-0-1, prevailing in the most recent meeting, 2-0, in the 2022 NCAA Tournament First Round in Athens. Dani Murguia opened the scoring with a 10th-minute goal, followed by Jessie Dunn's lone career score. Head coach Keidane McAlpine is 2-2 all-time against Samford, with three of the meetings coming during his tenure at Birmingham-Southern.

Prior to the Georgia-Samford match, Georgia Southern and Washington State will play a neutral match at 3 p.m. There will be no broadcast coverage of the match.

Bouncing Back
Georgia moved back to .500 on the season with a 2-0 win over Illinois last Thursday, one of four wins for the SEC over the Big Ten last week. Freshman forward Cayla Jackson made her collegiate debut while also notching her first career goal in the 44th minute to open the scoring for the Bulldogs, while sophomore forward Jocelyn Chinea picked up her first career assist. Coming right out of halftime, graduate forward Margie Detrizio netted her fourth goal of the season in the 47th minute to double the Bulldogs' lead to 2-0. Junior goalkeeper Jordan Brown recorded her 15th career solo shutout, fielding four saves on the night to reach another milestone of 150 career saves.

Ahead of Schedule
As the non-conference schedule nears its ends, Georgia's offense has provided more productivity through six matches than it did last season. The Bulldogs have tallied 12 goals and 29 points so far in 2023, as opposed to eight goals and 22 points at the same point in 2022. This year's attack has also been more efficient, notching only 87 shots compared to 93 last season.

Dawg Bites

With last Thursday's win over Illinois, Georgia is currently on an eight-match unbeaten streak at home (five wins, three ties) dating back to last season's win over Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs have also won or tied its last 13 non-conference opponents at Turner Soccer Complex.
Facing one of the nation's toughest schedules, Brown leads the SEC with 37 saves and ranks first in saves per game at 6.17, nearly two more than Mia Justus of Texas.
Samford senior forward Layton Glisson is the sister of former Georgia forward Reagan Glisson, who played for the Bulldogs from 2017-19. While in Athens, Glisson appeared in 55 matches with 51 starts, posting 13 goals and eight assists.
Assistant coach Rade Tanaskovic is away from the team for the next three weeks as he serves on staff for the United States at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia. In his absence, director of recruiting and player development Sammy Towne has been elevated to assistant coach.

Strong Slate as Always
Throughout his early tenure in Athens, Keidane McAlpine has made it a point to challenge his team with a difficult non-conference schedule. Last season, matches against UCLA, Clemson, and UCF helped Georgia finish No. 7 in the NCAA RPI and earn a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament. This year's schedule is no different with the slate currently ranking fifth nationally and second in the SEC in difficulty.

In 2023, the Bulldogs were the only Power 5 school to play a team from each of the other four leagues. This season, they are one of five with the distinction, joining Texas, Iowa, Michigan, and Baylor. The Bulldogs and Hawkeyes are the only two P4 institutions to face each of the other Power conferences, as well as take on a remaining Pac-12 school (Georgia - Washington State, Iowa - Oregon State).

Up Next
Georgia concludes its non-conference slate against Washington State on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. at Turner. The match will stream live on SEC Network+. The Bulldogs then begin their SEC season against No. 25 South Carolina on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Promotions: Greek Night – The first 500 spectators at the Turner Soccer Complex will receive a belt bag, which will be distributed at halftime.
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.
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 2024 season.
Concessions: Concessions will be available via cashless/contactless payment.
Merchandise: The UGA Bookstore will be selling merchandise on site.

Georgia Hosts Samford in Battle of Bulldogs Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Jordan Brown

Jocelyn Chinea

Margie Detrizio

Jessie Dunn

Cayla Jackson