Atlanta in the spring is a beautiful sight, with flowers blooming, the sun shining with the cool 70-degree weather. Nothing pairs better than hopping down to the GSU Soccer Complex and watching women’s soccer.
Three Panthers were called up to the Puerto Rico National Team to compete in the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship before the Spring season.
“We are proud of Ana, Alondra, and Brooke,” head coach Ed Joyce said. “For them to get an opportunity to represent their country is outstanding, and we look forward to supporting them!”
Ana Diaz, Brooke Hart and Alondra Nieves traveled to the Dominican Republic and played their hearts out as the team advanced out of the group stage and elimination games.
Unfortunately, the Puerto Rican team’s hopes for a World Cup Qualification dwindled with a loss in the semis to eventual winners the United States and a loss in the Third Place Match against Canada.
With stellar play and consistent scoring, Hart was named to the Best XI for the Concacaf Under-20 Championship Tournament.
With three significant contributors returning home, the women’s soccer team was set for the six-game spring schedule.
The spring schedule kicked off with a showdown against the Truett Mcconnell Bears.
The Bears play in the American Athletic Conference and held a 19-4 regular-season record last year. Their season ended in heartbreak as they lost in the AAC championship to Reinhardt University 3-2.
The Panthers struck twice as goals by Eva Diez Lois and Maddie Johnston surged the Panthers past the Bears and a 1-0 Spring record.
Up next to visit the Soccer Complex was the Life University Running Eagles.
The Running Eagles competed in the Mid-South Conference and held an 11-7 overall regular-season record. Their season came to an end in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament to Cumberland University 4-2.
This matchup was not even close; the Panthers had control of the match from the beginning. Six Panthers scored as Maddie Johnston and Kelsee Holloway scored two goals apiece in Life’s 8-1 rout.
After the complete decimation of Life the previous week, the Panthers swiftly moved on to a familiar foe in the Furman Paladins.
Last season, the Paladins game came down to the wire as the Panthers overcame a 0-2 halftime deficit to end the bout in a 2-2 draw.
The spring matchup was just as daunting as the previous meeting, as the game wasn’t decided until a late header from Alondra Nieves finally slew the Paladins.
After such a thrilling match the previous week, the next game on the schedule was against the in-state opponent, the Georgia Gwinnett College Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies had a successful 2021 campaign as they finished the regular season with an 11-7-1 record and dominated the postseason as they captured the Continental Athletic Conference Championship.
The tournament dominance did not manifest itself against the Panthers as they controlled the majority of the game and scored a barrage of goals, mauling Gwinnett College 5-0.
The final two games were played mere hours apart, but the fatigue wasn’t a factor for the Panthers as they secured two more victories against the Clayton State Lakers and the Middle Georgia State Knights.
The Panthers went six for six in the spring and will continue to build chemistry over the summer as they prepare to open up for the fall season.
