GEORGETOWN, Ky. (Women's Soccer) – On Saturday afternoon, the Shawnee State women's soccer program put up a strong effort against Georgetown as the Bears kept the Tigers off of the scoreboard behind the workmanlike effort of its defensive backline as well as an outstanding effort in goal by freshman Michaela Garner (FR/Heath, Ohio).
However, two Cassidy Hatfield goals were all that were needed for No. 24-ranked Georgetown as the Tigers (9-1-3, 4-1-1 Mid-South) took home a 2-0 victory over the Bears (6-5-1, 1-3 Mid-South) on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Stadium in Georgetown.
For the contest, Georgetown had the advantage over Shawnee State as the Tigers put up 24 shots – including 14 on goal – compared to the Bears' 4 shots and none on goal.
Garner and the Shawnee State defense, however, made life difficult for Georgetown throughout the duration of the contest in staying poised despite the barrage of shots by the Tigers' offensive attack.
In the first 10 minutes of play, the Bears attempted to use two quick saves by Garner on the defensive end to kickstart their own offensive attack as Kyla Toles (FR/Williamsburg, Ohio) and Maddie Woodard (SO/Camden, Ohio) attempted a shot apiece in the ninth and 10th minute of action, respectively.
Toles and Woodard, however, weren't able to capitalize on their chances as Toles' shot missed wide of the net and Woodard's blast sailed high of the goal as the game remained scoreless through the first 11 minutes of play.
From there, Georgetown's defense took on a rock-solid texture to it as Shawnee State was only able to attempt one shot over the remaining 34 minutes of the half – a 30th minute shot by Woodard, which went wide of the goal.
Garner and the Shawnee State defense, however, were having none of Georgetown's attempts to kickstart an offensive attack of its own.
After making her initial pair of saves, Garner only seemed to get stronger inside the goal as the Heath, Ohio native saved another pair of shots, including a 33rd minute attempt by Hatfield, to keep the game at a scoreless tie.
Unfortunately for the Bears, Hatfield wasn't going to be denied a second time. With just over a minute before the end of the first half, the freshman midfielder split the Shawnee State defensive attack and pierced a shot past Garner to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead at the halftime break.
That aforementioned goal would prove to be huge for the game's outcome as the Bears struggled to get anything going offensively in the second half.
The Shawnee State defense, along with Garner, weren't about to give in, as the freshman made a trio of saves within a dozen minute stretch to start the second half of play in keeping the game scoreless.
For the second time in the contest, however, Hatfield would find the necessary creases to put another shot in the back of the net, as her shot at the 63:51 mark – off of a dime from Emily Anderson – would put the Tigers ahead by a 2-0 margin with just over 26 seconds left.
For the remainder of the contest, Garner and the Shawnee State defense would continue to fight as the freshman goalkeeper recorded five more stops to prevent Georgetown from opening up a comfortable advantage.
The Bears, however, could not translate any of their gritty defense into a formidable offensive opportunity, as Schuyler Jones (SR/Ramnicu Valcea, Romania)' kick in the 76th minute – the lone shot of the second half for Shawnee State – would sail wide of the goal.
After a two-day break, the Bears will return to the Shawnee Turf, where Shawnee State will play three games in an 11-day span. The first of the trio will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 13, when the Bears host Cincinnati-Clermont at 4 p.m.
