NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman goalkeeper Brie Haynes set a new career high with 10 saves, but it was not enough as the Georgia State women's soccer team was defeated at Vanderbilt 4-0 Sunday afternoon. The Panthers fall to 1-4-1 this season.
“We made a lot of mistakes. When you make mistakes you deserve to get punished and that is what happened to us,” head coach Derek Leader said after the dissapointing result. “Vanderbilt is very good up front and we paid the price.”
Vanderbilt went on the attack early, testing GSU's Haynes in just the second minute. Simone Charley sent a shot on target but Haynes made the save. The Commodores kept the pressure on Georgia State and they were able to take a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute. Cheyna Williams fired a left footed shot past Haynes from the top of the 18 yard box.
Haynes was called on again to make a pair of saves in the 14th and 16th minutes to keep the score 1-0 for Vanderbilt. In the 22nd minute, the Commodores doubled their lead when Sasha Gray found the back of the net. Williams found Gray in space, and Gray was able to beat Haynes one-on-one.
The Panthers responded with a pair of shots on target in the 31st minute. First, Vanderbilt goalie Olivia Liebman was able to save Nikki Fedele's attempt. Then, eight seconds later, Alyssia Feronit's shot was also saved by Liebman.
The Commodores extended their lead to 3-0 in the 36th minute on Gena Inbusch's first goal of the season. Gray found Inbusch with a pass up the middle, then Inbusch was able to beat Haynes with a shot from 20 yards out.
Haynes was called on again to make her fourth save of he half in the 40th minute to keep the score at 3-0. At the break, the Commodores held the edge in shots (11-2) and took the only corner kick. Vanderbilt changed gaolies at the break, with Shannon Morrish taking over for Liebman.
GSU went on the attack first in the second half, forcing Morrish to make a save on a shot by Nikki Fedele in the 49th minute. In the 54th minute, Haynes made a save on an initial attempt by Williams but Simone Charley was there to slot home the rebound to give the Commodores a 4-0 lead.
Haynes made a trio of saves over the next 15 minutes on shots by Charley, Taylor Richardson and Ashley Oswald. In the 76th minute, Haynes made two more saves to set a new career high for saves in a match with 10.
The Panthers kept attacking until the end, but their best scoring chance, a header by Ashley Nagy, was saved by Morrish in the 87th minute. The game ended 4-0 to the Commodores who improve to 3-3-2 this season.
GSU's Haynes gets the loss to fall to 1-4-1 this season. She finished with 10 saves on 23 shots faced. Vanderbilt's Liebman gets the win. Liebman and Morrish each recorded two saves on a total of 12 shots.
“We are not the type of team that can do anything half heartedly in a game against a team such as Vanderbilt,” Leader said. “Our players really need to step it up if we are going to compete in the Sun Belt.”
Next time out, Georgia State will travel to Alabama to face Samford and Jacksonville State on Sept. 20 and Sept. 22 respectively.
