COLUMBUS - After rain forced a postponement last week, the Columbus State University women's soccer team will travel back to Americus, Ga. to face off against Georgia Southwestern. The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. with real-time statistics and live video available on CSUCougars.com.
About the Columbus State University Lady Cougars
Wednesday will be the season finale for Columbus State. The Lady Cougars are looking to close the year on an eight-match winning streak.
CSU is locked into the fourth spot for the upcoming Peach Belt Conference Tournament, which begins next Tuesday, Nov. 12. Depending on results, the Lady Cougars will either host Clayton State, Georgia College or Young Harris.
The Lady Cougars were 10th in the initial NCAA Southeast Region rankings that were realized on Oct. 30. The top-eight teams advance to the NCAA Tournament.
About the Georgia Southwestern University Lady Hurricanes
Georgia Southwestern (3-11-2, 0-8-1 PBC) is the lone team in the conference to have two PBC matches remaining on its schedule. Following Wednesday's match, GSW will take head to Lander on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The Lady Hurricanes earned their first point of the season this past Saturday tying USC Aiken 0-0 in Aiken, S.C.
Payton Johnson is the leading scorer on the team with four goals and two assists. Alison Rugel is tied for fourth in the PBC in assists with five.
Series History
Columbus State is a perfect 13-0-0 all-time against Georgia Southwestern. In 2018, CSU defeated the Lady Hurricanes 14-0 in Columbus.
Match Notes
• Columbus State has scored 10 or more goals in the previous three matches against GSW.
• Overall in the series history, CSU has outscored Georgia Southwestern 105-2.
• CSU's seven-match winning streak is the program's longest since the Lady Cougars won 13 straight matches last season.
• During the streak, CSU has outscored its opponents 28-2.
• Columbus State has posted four shutouts in its previous five matches. Overall this season, the Lady Cougars have six clean sheets.
• CSU ranks ninth at the NCAA Division II level with 50 goals.
• Saturday's victory was the 270th in program history.
Hitting Their Stride
Columbus State's offense has been hard to stop over its seven-match winning streak. The Lady Cougars are averaging 4.0 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 (2.94 goals/match) while ranking ninth in goals (50) and 22nd in assists (31).
CSU's seven-match winning streak is the longest active streak in the Southeast Region.
The Postseason Hunt
The Lady Cougars have locked up a spot up in the upcoming Peach Belt Conference Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, Nov. 12. CSU will be the fourth seed and serve as a host site for the quarterfinal round.
With a tie or a victory, Flagler will capture the PBC regular season title as well as the top-seed for the tournament. North Georgia will be the second seed with UNC Pembroke being third.
There are six teams jockeying for spots fifth through eighth.
At the national level, Columbus State is 10th in the first NCAA Southeast Regional rankings. 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 next rankings will be released on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
NCAA Southeast Region Rankings
- Flagler (PBC)
- Lenoir-Rhyne (SAC)
- UNC Pembroke (PBC)
- North Georgia (PBC)
- Mount Olive (Conference Carolinas)
- Catawba (SAC)
- Wingate (SAC)
- Carson-Newman (SAC)
- Lincoln-Memorial (SAC)
- Columbus State (PBC)
Balanced Scoring Attack
Columbus State continues to spread the wealth when it comes to its offensive attack. In 2019, 13 different Lady Cougars have scored with 16 players recording at least a point.
Three Lady Cougars (Clark, Edgeworth, and May) rank inside the top-10 in the PBC in goals while six 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 108 career points, she is just one behind 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.
Clark Named PoTW for Second Time in Three Weeks
After being named the PBC Player of the Week award on Oct. 14, Riley Clark earned the title once again on Oct. 28.
Against Albany State (10/23), Clark had one of her best matches of the season as she was a part of all four scoring plays recording two goals and two assists. She then found the opening goal in CSU's 2-0 victory at Georgia College (10/26).
It was the fourth PBC Player of the Week award in the senior's career.
In 2019, Clark ranks 13th in the nation in goals (13) and 21st in points (34).
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 270-62-24 at CSU, he is the winningest coach in PBC history. His overall coaching record of 292-78-24 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.
