Coming into the matchup against Tennessee, there was a sense of home-field advantage for Georgia women’s soccer. But that proved to not be enough for the Bulldogs as they fell to the Volunteers 2-0 on Thursday.
The Bulldogs (3-6-1) controlled the ball for most of the first half as they led with five shots and three corners but were unable to get a result from any of them.
“I think that we’ve been struggling kind of all season just with that final piece, whether it’s that final pass, that final service or that final shot,” Marion Crowder said. “We’ve just got to continue to keep our composure and be confident in our ability to finish the ball.”
Head coach Billy Lesesne said he understands that execution has been a problem for the Bulldogs this year and has made it a point of emphasis in practice to improve on those situations.
“We’ve done a lot of build-up play and a lot of work in front of goal,” Lesesne said. “It’s just a matter of I think getting one to get some more confidence in those situations.”
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the Volunteers came out fast to start the second half and scored within the first two minutes after the Bulldogs failed to clear the ball after a corner kick.
The Bulldogs were not a fan of corners Thursday night as Tennessee scored once again late in the second half off a corner kick to make it a two-score game.
“Both of their goals came from corner situations,” Lesesne said. “But allowing a team a set piece in a dangerous situation with players that they have of their quality, it’s taking a risk and we didn’t get away with it tonight.”
In order for the team to move on and prepare for Sunday’s matchup against the Auburn Tigers, it must settle its disputes and work on its in-game missed opportunities.
“We have to be team-focused, we have to be team-oriented and we’ve got to realize that we need each other more in the hard times than we do in the good times,” Crowder said. “And to really lean on each other and trust that we can all do our jobs. I think that’s the biggest thing for us going into Sunday.”
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Kevin Keneely 