AMERICUS, Ga. – The Columbus State University Women's Soccer team put together a complete performance on Saturday night, shutting out Georgia Southwestern 2–0 at Hurricane Field to notch its first Peach Belt Conference victory of the season.
From the opening whistle, the Lady Cougars (3-3-0, 1-0-0 PBC) set the tempo, controlling possession and creating chances against a compact Georgia Southwestern defense. Despite a handful of first-half opportunities, the breakthrough didn't come until the second period, but it set the tone for a confident finish.
In the 57th minute,
Sarah Hungerford showed her composure in the box, slotting home her first goal of the season. The play was a product of CSU's persistence, as
Michelle Medina and
Kendal Coreil combined to feed Hungerford.
Columbus State continued to pile on pressure, firing 16 total shots while holding the Hurricanes to just one attempt all evening. The insurance goal came in the 84th minute when freshman
Payton Conti announced herself in style, scoring her first career goal off a sharp assist from
Ui Suzuki.
Defensively, CSU was rock solid. The back line of
Skye Tumbelty and Anna Labarbera anchored a unit that refused to give GSW any space in the attacking third. Goalkeeper
Heidi Harris didn't need to make a save, marking the Cougars' second clean sheet of the season.
The victory lifts Columbus State back to .500 overall while sending an early message in Peach Belt play. Georgia Southwestern (3-3-0, 0-1-0 PBC) suffered its first home setback of the season.
By the Numbers
Shots: CSU 16, GSW 1
Shots on Goal: CSU 8, GSW 0
Corner Kicks: CSU 5, GSW 0
Fouls: CSU 9, GSW 5
Up Next
Columbus State returns home to Walden Soccer Complex on Tuesday, September 23, at 5:00 p.m. for another PBC showdown against Middle Georgia State University.
