Georgia upsets No. 4 Texas A&M

ATHENS, Ga.—First-half goals from juniors Marion Crowder and Caroline Waters lifted the Georgia soccer team past No. 4 Texas A&M Sunday afternoon in a nationally televised game at the Turner Soccer Complex. The win marks the first Bulldog victory over a top-five team since Oct. 16, 2009 when Georgia defeated No. 5 South Carolina and the team’s first Southeastern conference win this season.

Set pieces played a large part in the game, with Georgia scoring both of its goals off of corner kicks. The Bulldogs earned five corners to the Aggies’ seven.

Coach Billy Lesesne was very pleased with the grit his team showed to pull off the upset and hopes the team can use this game as a building block.

“It was a great effort from the ladies,” Lesesne said. “We wanted to win both halves. We really executed on set pieces which has been one of our constant focuses. Coming out on the front side of that is outstanding. We have a lot to build off of here. I am very happy with the outcome today.”

Texas A&M came out firing early, but it was the Bulldogs who were first on the scoreboard in the 25’ when Marion Crowder scored her second goal of the season. The score came after Lauren Tanner’s corner kick went off of the right post and into a crowd of defenders. After a scuffle for the ball Crowder drilled the shot into the back of the net to give the Bulldogs the 1-0 lead.

Nine minutes later the Bulldogs struck again off of another set piece, this time a header from defender Caroline Waters. The junior from Woodstock, Georgia perfectly timed the pass from Crowder and snuck it past the Aggies goalkeeper. It was the first goal of the season for Waters.

The Aggies came out of the gates in the second-half searching for an early goal and they found it in the 61’. Haley Pounds nailed a shot from 15-yards out into the lap of Georgia goalkeeper Louise Hogrell. The Asa, Sweden native came very close to saving the shot, but her attempt was negated after it was determined that the ball crossed the line for the Texas A&M goal.

Despite several attempts by the Aggies to score the equalizer, the Bulldogs’ defense held strong. Marion Crowder nearly snuck in her second goal of the night in the 83’ after her chip shot from 10 yards outside the right post bounced off of the top of the crossbar.

Texas A&M fired 21 total shots compared to Georgia’s 13, but the Bulldogs were the more accurate team with eight shots on goal to the Aggies’ seven.  Hogrell finished the contest with six saves and nearly recorded her third shutout of the season.