Georgia Soccer Falls to South Carolina in SEC Quarterfinals

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Georgia’s run in the SEC women’s soccer tournament ended in the quarterfinals Tuesday, as second-seeded South Carolina beat the 10th-seeded Bulldogs 3-0 at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex.

The Gamecocks spread the scoring around, with three different players finding the net. They struck early. Sydney Middaugh scored from long range in the fifth minute, and South Carolina doubled the lead in the 53rd minute when Cuyler Zulauf converted a penalty kick. The penalty came after a handball in the box was called on Georgia sophomore midfielder Ayda Pannell and upheld on video review.

Autumn Cayelli finished the scoring in the 73rd minute, crashing the goal to put away a cross from Emilie Castagna.

South Carolina (13-2-3) outshot Georgia 10-8 overall and 6-1 on target. For the Bulldogs (7-6-6), senior midfielder Gabbi Ceballos had two shots, the most on the team, and freshman midfielder London Crawford put the Bulldogs’ only shot on target.

Graduate goalkeeper Jordan Brown made three saves in her final game for Georgia. She leaves the program third all-time in shutouts with 25 and in goals-against average at 1.01, fourth in wins with 32 and sixth in saves with 280. She also ranks sixth in career minutes at 6,053 and in saves per match at 4.06. Freshman defender Lilly Osifodunrin joined her in playing all 90 minutes.

The quarterfinal was Georgia’s fifth straight trip to that round of the SEC tournament, a streak matched only by Alabama and Arkansas, and it was the fifth year in a row the Bulldogs won at least one game in the tournament. South Carolina moves on to the semifinals.

Filed under: Augusta GA Sports News