Georgia Extends Unbeaten Streak, Ties No. 6 Arkansas 1-1

Sunday, October 27

Fayetteville, AR

2:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

7-6-4, 3-3-3SEC

Arkansas

13-2-2, 7-1-1SEC

Georgia

Arkansas

Photo by: Chamberlain Smith

Georgia Extends Unbeaten Streak, Ties No. 6 Arkansas 1-1

October 27, 2019 | Soccer

Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --- The University of Georgia soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to four games with a 1-1 double overtime draw against No. 6 Arkansas at Razorback Field on Sunday afternoon.

Georgia (7-6-4, 3-3-3 SEC) defeated Ole Miss and Mississippi State, before playing to a tie against Kentucky and Arkansas (13-2-2, 7-1-1 SEC). The four-game unbeaten streak is the most under head coach Billy Lesesne. It's the longest the Bulldogs have gone without a loss since 2013 and the longest unbeaten streak in SEC action since 2011.

Sophomore goalkeeper Emory Wegener made an impressive seven saves in the draw.

"I'm incredibly proud of this team," Lesesne said. "Arkansas has been scoring a lot of goals, so to do so well defensively was a really good statement from our team. We matched their intensity and had a really great first half to take the lead. The pressure Arkansas applied was at a really high level. We held that until the final part of the game when they scored off the corner kick. We fought through the overtime and held on for a really good point on the road against a really good team."

Three minutes after coming off the bench, freshman Chloe Chapman showed her speed as she beat the last Razorback defender and took a shot from 12 yards out to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead off an assist from sophomore midfielder Bella Ponzi. The Mitchellville, Maryland native leads the team with six goals on the season.

The Bulldogs and Razorbacks were even in shots (3) and saves (1) after 45 minutes of play, but Georgia held the advantage on the scoreboard at half time.

The Razorbacks turned on the attack in the second half, taking nine shots compared the Bulldogs' one. Wegener made three saves to keep Georgia's advantage, but the Bulldogs could not hold on.

After holding the lead for 60 minutes, the Razorbacks scored the equalizer with five minutes left after a corner kick opportunity to send the game into overtime.

The Razorbacks did not let up and continued to take six shots in the extra time, but Wegener was able to secure the tie with three more saves.

"We're happy, we're really happy," Wegener said after the game. "I'm incredible proud of this team. We've really taken this season and turned it around. You see the fight in this team. We have a goal and we're slowing reaching them with small wins."

"There was a lot pressure there in the second half and I thought she did a great job of calming some of the chaos but also coming up big in a few moments and making good decisions," Lesesne said about Wegener. "I'm really proud of her and our entire team."

The regular season finale for the Bulldogs will be Thursday, October 31 against the Florida Gators at 7 p.m. at the Turner Soccer Complex.

Georgia has now earned 12 conference points. The top tens teams with the highest conference point total will participate in the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama. The tournament will run from Sunday, November 3 through Sunday, November 10 with games being played in a Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday- Sunday format.

HOW TO FOLLOW GEORGIA SOCCER: For complete information on Georgia soccer, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGASoccer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.