ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The No. 5 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's soccer team remained unbeaten Wednesday after taking down Flagler 2-1 in its first road Peach Belt Conference match of the season.
At 6-0-1 (2-0 Peach Belt) on the season, the Nighthawks are off to the best start in a season through seven games since head coach
Kayley Ralton took over the program in 2020. It is the best start through seven games in program history since 2015 when the team started the year 7-0 before finishing 16-4-1 and making an appearance in the NCAA Round of 32.
Wednesday's win was also UNG's second come-from-behind victory of the season.
The Saints got on the board first in the seventh minute thanks to the fourth goal of the season from Carrie Consolino. They held the 1-0 lead through halftime despite the Nighthawks out shooting their opponent 9-3 in the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, senior forward
Bailey Oetinger equalized the contest with her fourth goal of the season. Oetinger is now tied for the team lead in goals with fellow senior forward
Kyleigh Drew, who helped facilitate Wednesday's game-tying goal in the 51st minute.
After Drew chased down a ball towards the back post inside the penalty area, she turned and fired a grounded ball towards the net. Whether it was a shot or pass attempt is unclear but the ball deflected off a diving Flagler goalkeeper in Madi Narducci.
Oetinger slashed towards in front of the net and slid to get to the loose ball. She stretched her left leg and just barely put her toes on the ball to help it into the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1.
Having dominated the game already, the Nighthawks were reinvigorated after equalizing. They continued to pound the Flagler back line and manufacture scoring opportunities.
UNG finally took the lead in the 69th minute thanks to sophomore forward
Blanca Cruz and her impressive soft touch.
Cruz stood at the top of the 18-yard box and waited for a cross from a teammate. The ball sailed over head and into the box. Luckily, Oetinger was there to win the first touch.
Oetinger's touch bounced towards Cruz who quickly kicked the ball some 12 feet into the air with her left foot. As the ball looped towards the end line and over a defender's head, Cruz side stepped around her defender and tracked it down.
After it bounced once, Cruz struck the waist-high ball with her left leg and pooched it right over Narducci's head. The keeper backpedaled but it was too late. The ball took a swan dive towards the near post and into the netting.
Cruz now sits second on the team with three goals on the season having scored once in each of the last two games. Both of those goals have been game winners after she was the only player to find the net in Saturday's 1-0 home win over USC Beaufort in the PBC opener.
UNG now continues its road travels and will head north to Aiken, S.C. to face the Pacers of USC Aiken. That match begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27.
