Georgia State Seniors Lead Men’s Soccer to 1-0 Win Over Jacksonville
ATLANTA – Seniors Stephen McGill and CJ Cochran led the way in the Georgia State men’s soccer team’s 1-0 win over Jacksonville at the GSU Soccer Complex. McGill scored the match-winner and Cochran recorded five second-half saves to secure the shutout.
• GSU attempted a season-high 21 shots, including nine on target.
• With the win, head coach Brett Surrency is now 2-0-0 against his alma mater Jacksonville.
• In the second half the match lost its flow as 17 fouls were called over the final 45 minutes.
• 28 total fouls were called and five yellow cards were shown.
It was a tale of two halves with the Panthers controlling the first by holding a 13-5 shot advantage. The Dolphins put Georgia State on its heels after the break by taking 11 shots, including five on target. However, Cochran and the GSU defense held firm to earn the shutout.
The Panthers threatened first in the 4th minute but Rashid Alarape was denied by Dolphin goalkeeper Marc Meny. Georgia State had three more shots in the first 10 minutes but none were on target.
In the 19th minute, GSU grabbed the lead when McGill bagged his third goal of the season.
• After a Jacksonville foul, Aaron Jones delivered a perfect free kick into the box.
• McGill was waiting and he slotted the ball under the goalkeeper and into the net from just outside the six-yard box.
Just over a minute later the Panthers nearly doubled their lead. Meny made a great diving save to push Eddie Wilding’s long-range effort off the right post and out for a corner kick.
Over the next 11 minutes Georgia State came close to grabbing its second goal three times.
• First in the 24th minute Meny made a diving save to push Alarape’s header wide of the post.
• Jake Bingham had GSU’s next chance in the 31st minute but he too was denied by Meny.
• Then in the 33rd minute Bingham had another opportunity but his shot was just wide of the right post.
GSU had one final chance in the 41st minute. Andy Anglade got behind the Jacksonville defense and was able to dribble around the keeper. However, he was unable to score as his shot went wide right of the open net.
The Dolphins best opportunity was in the final minute but Cochran saved Allan Morgan’s effort.
In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Georgia State had three quality scoring chances but all were saved by Meny.
• First the Jacksonville goalkeeper denied McGill his second in the 50th minute.
• Then Meny saved Cory Plasker’s low effort two minutes later.
• Finally in the 55th minute, Alarape saw his third shot on target of the match saved.
Morgan had another chance in the 63rd for the Dolphins but Cochran made to the save to protect GSU’s 1-0 lead.
Jacksonville then took 10 of the final 13 shots, including four on target, but the Dolphins could not beat Cochran or the GSU defense and the Panthers clinched the shutout victory.
• Georgia State has now won two in a row, both 1-0 shutouts.
• The Panthers’ next match is Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.
• GSU will host Hartwick in the team’s Sun Belt home opener at the GSU Soccer Complex.
###
Colgate Halts Hawks, 1-0
HAMILTON, NY – Host Colgate scored with less than 23 minutes left in the game in what would prove to be the game's only tally on Tuesday night in Hamilton. The Hawks fall to 2-8-4 overall. The Raiders improve to 6-7-1.
The Hawks were out-shot in the game, 15-3. Hartwick keeper Mateo Munarriz (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Granadino) made six saves in his first appearance this season.
The Hawks held the Raiders in the first half with both teams combining for just four shots total. 'Wick was able to limit any chances from leading scorer Ethan Kutler, who entered the game ranked second in points per game and third in goals per game in the country this season.
"In the first half we were fine," said Hartwick head coach John Scott. "We kept Kutler quiet and there were no real saves for Mateo to make. Going forward we needed to be better at times but overall we were solid."
Scott used more personnel in the second half with a critical conference game coming up at Georgia State on Saturday night, and the Raiders began to take over.
"With the trip to Georgia in mind, we started subbing and our level dropped off," added Scott. "Some players got a chance to play tonight and they needed to make more of the opportunity.
The Raiders would hold a 12-2 edge in shots in the second half. The deciding goal came when Kutler got free on the end line and delivered a pass to Troy Moo-Pan who finished it off for his first career tally.
Nick Hills (Garden Suburb, Australia/Univ. of Newcastle) had two of the Hawks' three shots on the night. Kit Tregear's (Brighton, England/BHASVIC) effort was the only one to force a save from Colgate keeper Rick Brown near the final minute of play.
Hartwick, which is tied for first place in the Sun Belt with Howard University, travels to Atlanta to face the Georgia State Panthers in its second-to-last conference match of the regular season Saturday. The Hawks also host Howard on November 1 prior to the Sun Belt playoffs.