COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of North Georgia women's soccer team fell 4-2 to No. 4 Columbus State in the first round of the 2022 Division II NCAA Tournament. The Nighthawks took a 2-1 lead into halftime, but two penalty kick goals for the Cougars doomed North Georgia's upset bid.
The scoring kicked off quickly as CSU took advantage of a sixth-minute penalty kick to give the top-seed Cougars a 1-0 lead. In the 12th minute, a foul in the box resulted in a second penalty kick given, this time to North Georgia.
Katey Derkay stepped up to the penalty spot and knotted the game up 1-1 early in the first half.
Both teams would settle in until, in the 29th minute
Abbie Crane, UNG's leading scorer, gave the Nighthawks the 2-1 lead. Neither team would find the back of the net for the rest of the half.
Columbus State kicked off the second half by scoring in the 61st minute. Rachel Sweigard would give Columbus State the equalizer. Sweigard would follow it up in the 73rd minute to give the Cougars the 3-2 lead.
The Nighthawks battled to even up the score and keep their season alive, but an accidental handball in the 82nd minute was given as the second penalty kick of the game for Columbus State and the third overall. Rachel Sweigard completed her hat trick on the penalty kick goal, put the game out of reach, and gave top-seeded Columbus State an opening-round victory.
Inside the Box Score
- 10 of 11 North Georgia shots came in the first half.
- Crane becomes the first player since Taylor Malasek in 2019 to score ten or more goals in a season.
- North Georgia has appeared in three consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
