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By:
Stephen Williams
EVANS, Ga. – Two first-half goals from
Olivia Jarrell helped lift the fifth-ranked and top-seeded Columbus State University women's soccer team past fourth-seeded Armstrong State 3-1 on Friday evening. The Peach Belt Conference semifinal match was played at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga.
With the win, Columbus State (17-2-0) moves into the PBC championship match for the third consecutive season. The Lady Cougars will face a familiar foe in the final, as CSU will take on 17
th-ranked and second-seeded North Georgia. Columbus State and North Georgia will be meeting in the championship for the third straight season. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CSU will be playing in its 10th PBC Tournament championship in only its 13th season as a program.
"We were able to get on the board early and that was big tonight," head coach
Jay Entlich said. "Armstrong is always tough opponent and we had to play well in order to beat them.
"We've now moved one step closer to our second goal for this season, but we know that we have a very good North Georgia side waiting on us Sunday."
Playing for the second time in the last 10 days, the two sides got off just two shots apiece through the match's first 15 minutes.
Jarrell broke the scoreless tie in the 16
th minute though. The sophomore beat a Pirate defender to a loose ball in the middle of the attacking third and left herself with a footrace to the net. Jarrell raced all the way into the box before beating the keeper to the far post to give CSU the early advantage.
The Lady Cougars were on the attack again in the 22
nd minute as
Nicole Corcione split a pair of defenders near the top of the box. The defense tackled the senior inside the box setting up a CSU penalty kick.
Armstrong State (13-4-2) made the save on Columbus State's attempt, but the ball caromed out for a corner kick. On the ensuing corner, Corcione headed the ball into the center of the box where it was deflected to a waiting Jarrell in front of the net and she tapped it home for her second of the day. The pair of goals ups her season total to a team-best 15.
The Pirates took three shots at the net over the final 20 minutes of the first half, but one went wide and
Maylyn Parsons stopped the other two to send the game to the break at 2-0.
Columbus State's third goal of the match came in the 66
th minute.
Angelica Tabares dribbled the ball in from the left side and left it for Corcione outside the box. The senior stepped in between a pair of Armstrong defenders and blasted a shot just under the crossbar from 15 yards out to help put the match away. Corcione now has 12 goals on the year.
Armstrong State finally got on the board with a goal in the 84
th minute of play. The goal was the first the Lady Cougars had surrendered in the last 11 matches and ended a scoreless minute streak of 1017:42.
Parsons added to her conference-leading win total on the day, making five saves during the 90 minutes in goal.
