YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The No. 13 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's soccer team cruised to a 3-0 road win over rival Young Harris (YH) Wednesday afternoon.
The Nighthawks improved to 3-0 with the victory. They have now started the season unbeaten through the first three matches for the third consecutive year under head coach
Kayley Ralton.
Wednesday's rivalry showdown started with UNG on the scoreboard quickly as sophomore midfielder
Nina Lopez scored the first goal of the game just four minutes into the contest.
The play started when junior midfielder
Chloe Diaz possessed the ball in the middle of the field just inside UNG's attacking third. Diaz passed the ball up the far side and found senior forward
Bailey Oetinger near the far corner of the penalty box. Oetinger dribbled forward past her defender and lifted a beautiful alright-footed cross towards the center of the box. That's where Lopez was waiting just outside the six-yard box as she calmly redirected the ball into the net for her second goal of the season. Both Diaz and Oetinger were credited with assists.
The Nighthawks maintained control of the possession for the remainder of the half but were unable to add to the lead, taking the one-goal advantage into the locker room.
In the 58th minute, UNG tallied its second goal of the game after an impressive fast break.
Senior defender
Alex Clark raced towards a Mountain Lion attacker and dispossessed her on the Nighthawks' side of midfield. Already with a burst of speed, Clark took the ball and continued charging forward on a counter attack. She passed it to sophomore forward
Blanca Cruz who then found a streaking Oetinger in the box. Oetinger took one touch and planted a left-footed shot past YH goalkeeper Clara Williams to put UNG ahead 2-0.
Oetinger now leads the Nighthawks with three goals on the season. Cruz earned her first assist of the year on the helper while Clark was credited with the second assist. Clark now leads UNG with a trio of assists as well.
The final goal of the game was perhaps the most impressive. As the Nighthawks maintained a 2-0 lead into the 85th minute, they were granted a corner kick.
The high-arcing ball sailed into the box near the front post and was deflected upwards by a Mountain Lion defender. As the ball slowly tumbled back down to earth, a cleat suddenly went flying into the air above all defenders. It belonged to freshman midfielder
Sarah Woodall.
The Cumming, Ga. native rose up with her back to the goal and booted the ball over her head as she fell backwards. The UNG bench roared in celebration at a successfully executed bicycle kick goal. Woodall's teammates mobbed her as she picked herself up off the pitch.
The rookie is off to a hot start in her collegiate career with two goals already through UNG's first three matches.
The Nighthawks will now return to Dahlonega to prepare for their biggest test of the season to date. UNG will welcome the 16th-ranked Flames of Lee to the UNG Soccer Field at Lynn Cottrell Park on Sunday. Lee is 1-0 on the season after opening with a win over Lenoir-Rhyne. The Sept. 14 showdown begins in Dahlonega at 3 p.m.
