University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
Atlanta Beat (WPS)
Atlanta Beat Rallies To Defeat Georgia
March 29, 2011 | Soccer
March 29, 2011
ATHENS, Ga. --- The Georgia soccer team struck first but fell 2-1 to the WPS' Atlanta Beat Tuesday evening in exhibition action at the UGA Soccer Stadium.
Georgia got its goal 15 minutes into the first half on a rocket from rising senior Ashley Miller into the upper 90 to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. It was the first goal allowed by the Beat in its previous four spring exhibitions against Auburn, North Carolina, Florida State, and Florida.
"It was exciting getting this opportunity to play with National Team players," Miller said. "It was exciting for me to start off with a goal - I couldn't have asked for more. We talked before the game about wanting to come off the field at the end and be proud of ourselves, and we are able to do that. I think this was good for us to see how we measured up against them and see what is ahead of us for the fall."
The Beat netted the equalizer in controversial fashion as the teams played by professional rules in which the scoreboard clock counts up. The goal came in the 46th minute off the foot of former UNC standout Lori Chalupny in what the officials deemed to be extra time. Chalupny took a cross from the right side and tapped it past Georgia's All-SEC goalkeeper Ashley Baker to even the score at 1-1 to send the teams into the locker room all tied up.
Seven minutes into the second half, rising sophomore Alexa Newfield sent a long-range shot into the box that had the keeper beat and nearly tucked under the crossbar but bounced out. The Beat had a great chance just two minutes later but Baker came up with a diving stop that set up a corner kick for the visitors.
After a flurry of saves from Baker, Chalupny was able to net the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute as she fired one from the right side into the back of the net.
The Bulldogs had a good look at the tying goal when they were awarded an indirect kick from just outside the '18,' but Miller's shot off a pass from Jamie Pollock hit off a Beat defender and out of danger. With five minutes remaining, Newfield had a shot deflected and the rebound found its way to the foot of Susannah Dennis, but she was whistled offsides before getting a shot off and the Beat later held on for the 2-1 victory.
Georgia is now 3-2-1 this spring.
"What a great game we played here tonight," said second-year head coach Steve Holeman. "You enter this game and you don't know what to expect because you're playing an extremely talented Beat team, but we played with confidence and were able to get the first goal. It was unfortunate they came back on us, but at the end of the day we know we played a great game. That goal was not only the first one they allowed this spring, but it was just an incredible goal by Ashley Miller and that goes in no matter who we're playing against."
The Bulldogs will play its Alumni Game on Sat. April 9 at 10 a.m. before closing out the spring campaign on April 16 on the road in Winston-Salem, N.C., with a doubleheader against ACC rivals Wake Forest and N.C. State.
