COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University women's soccer team will continue its quest for a Peach Belt Conference Tournament title on Friday taking on top-seeded and No. 3 Flagler at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga. The match is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. with real-time statistics and live video available on CSUCougars.com.
Tickets
Fans will have a few different ticket options at the PBC Championship. Tournament passes are available for adults starting at $10 while a pass for a child under the age of 12 costs $5. Single-day tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children.
About the Columbus State University Lady Cougars
Columbus State kept its season alive with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday against Georgia College in the PBC Tournament Quarterfinals. Kimmy May scored the lone goal of the night off a penalty kick in the 69th minute.
With the victory, the Lady Cougars will appear in the PBC Tournament Semifinals for the 10th consecutive season.
In the latest NCAA Southeast Regional rankings, CSU fell to the 10th spot despite having the longest active winning streak in the region.
About the Flagler College Saints
Flagler is having its best season in program history after winning the PBC regular season championship for the first time. The Saints are also in search of their first PBC Tournament title.
The Saints are unbeaten this season holding a 17-0-1 record. Columbus State handed FC it's last lost in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Three players have scored at least 10 goals for Flagler this season with Sara Sandberg leading the PBC with 20.
Series History
Flagler was finally able to defeat Columbus State earlier this season in Columbus in a 2-1 decision. FC scored in the 68th minute to break a 1-1 deadlock.
CSU leads the all-time series 13-1-0. This will be the second time that the two schools have met in the PBC Tournament. In the 2017 semifinals, the Lady Cougars took down the Saints 3-1.
Match Notes
• Columbus State is currently on a nine-match winning streak.
• During the streak, the Lady Cougars have outscored their opponents 33-2.
• CSU holds a 32-6-2 all-time record in the PBC Tournament.
• The Lady Cougars have posted six shutouts in its previous seven matches. Overall this season, the Lady Cougars have eight clean sheets.
• It will be the fifth time this season that Columbus State has taken on a ranked opponent. Flagler is the highest-ranked foe CSU has played since Sept. 2, 2018 (No. 2 Carson-Newman).
• Since 2010, Columbus State is 31-16-5 against top-25 opponents.
Tournament Dominance
Since the berth of the Columbus State women's soccer program, the Lady Cougars have owned the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. In 15 appearances, CSU has played in the PBC Tournament Championship match 12 times, including winning eight titles. The eight championships are the most by any program in conference history.
The dominance has continued of late as the Lady Cougars have played in the previous five PBC Tournament Championships matches while winning four titles.
In Evans, Ga., the site of the PBC Tournament Semifinals and Finals since 2009, the Lady Cougars hold a 14-4-1 record.
The Postseason Hunt
Despite not losing a match, the Lady Cougars moved down to the 10th spot in Wednesday's NCAA Southeast Region poll. Eight of the 10 teams are still in action in their conference tournaments.
The top-eight teams, with three automatic bids going to the winners of the PBC, South Atlantic Conference, and Conference Carolinas Tournament winners, will advance to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on Monday, Nov. 18.
NCAA Southeast Region Rankings
- Flagler (PBC)
- Lenoir-Rhyne (SAC)
- North Georgia (PBC)
- UNC Pembroke (PBC)
- Mount Olive (Conference Carolinas)
- Wingate (SAC)
- Queens (SAC)
- Catawba (SAC)
- Lincoln Memorial (SAC)
- Columbus State (PBC)
Hitting Their Stride
Columbus State's offense has been hard to stop over its nine-match winning streak. The Lady Cougars are averaging 3.7 goals per match during the span, including a 9-0 victory over USC Aiken on Oct. 20.
The Lady Cougars now have the 12th highest-scoring offense in Division II (2.9 goals/match) while ranking 10th in goals (55) and 24th in assists (34).
Lady Cougars Earn Academic Honors
Nine Columbus State players landed on the Peach Belt Conference's Team of Academic Distinction on Nov. 7. Tehgan Anguilm (3.93 GPA, chemistry), Georgia Bostic (3.51, chemistry), Riley Clark (3.73, nursing), Madeline Goodfellow (4.00, management), Michelle Lamorte (3.63, psychology), Kimmy May (3.52, biology) Annie Mayo (3.66, nursing), Parker Morgan (3.89 general business), and Flo Spano (marketing) all earned spots on the team after posting a 3.30 GPA while appearing in at least half of CSU's matches this season. Freshmen are not permitted on the team.
Also, Anguilm, Clark and Goodfellow were selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. The 14-member team is comprised from players from the Southeast Region with the Lady Cougar trio advancing to the national ballot for the chance to be named 2019 Academic All-Americans.
Balanced Scoring Attack
Columbus State continues to spread the wealth when it comes to its offensive attack. In 2019, 14 different Lady Cougars have scored with 16 players recording at least a point after Brooke Ouimette scored her first two collegiate goals in CSU's 4-0 win against Georgia Southwestern on Nov. 6.
Three Lady Cougars (Riley Clark, Kimmy Edgeworth, and Kimmy May) rank inside the top-15 in the PBC in goals while five have found the back of the net at least four times.
Climbing the Record Books
After setting a program record by scoring a goal in nine matches, Riley Clark has rapidly climbed up both the Columbus State and Peach Belt Conference record books.
The senior is now third all-time in CSU history with 51 goals while becoming just the sixth player in conference history to surpass the 50 career goal mark.
With 109 career points, she is tied with Gina Goforth (2006-09) for fourth all-time in CSU history.
Flo Spano is also moving up on the all-time assist list in Columbus State and Peach Belt Conference history. With her five assists this season, Spano has 27 in her career to rank fourth all-time at Columbus State.
The senior is eighth in the PBC record book.
Freshman Named National Player of the Week
Carley Canzoneri became the fourth player in program history to be named the National Soccer Coaches association's National Player of the Week on Oct. 22.
Canzoneri was crucial in Columbus State's 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten Nova Southeastern on Oct. 16. Playing the entire 90 minutes, the freshman made key stops throughout the match as the Lady Cougars shutout the nation's top-scoring offense. Canzoneri and the defense were back at it on Sunday limiting USC Aiken to five shots.
The Suwanne, Ga. native also scored her first collegiate goal against USC Aiken.
Additionally, she was named the Peach Belt Conference Defender of the Week on Oct 21.
A Day to Remember
Kimmy Edgeworth made Columbus State history on Oct. 20 against USC Aiken. The sophomore became the first Lady Cougar to score four goals in a match, and just the 24th player in Peach Belt Conference history, to achieve the feat. She had a first half hat trick before adding her final tally in the 59th minute.
Edgeworth also recorded an assist in the match to tie her teammate Maddie DeFranco's school record for points in a match with nine.
For her efforts, Edgeworth was named the PBC Player of the Week.
Entlich Among the Nation's Best
Since starting the program in 2004, Jay Entlich has established CSU women's soccer into a national powerhouse. With an overall record of 272-62-24 at CSU, he is the winningest coach in PBC history. His overall coaching record of 294-78-24 puts him eighth all-time at the NCAA Division II level.
He has coached four PBC Player of the Year award winners and has been named the conference's Coach of the Year in every season since 2014.
