Georgia Hosts No. 1 Florida State Sunday

Sunday, August 21

Athens, Ga.

1 p.m.

University of Georgia

Florida State

August 20, 2022 | Soccer

Match Notes

Georgia (1-0-0, 0-0-0 SEC) vs. No. 1 Florida State (0-0-1, 0-0-0 ACC)
Date: Sunday, Aug. 21
Time: 1 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
TV / Live Stream: ESPNU (Alex Perlman, PxP / Marion Crowder, Analyst)
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter: @UGASoccer
Instagram: @UGASoccer

Social Media: For complete information on Georgia soccer, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGASoccer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

QUICK KICKS
Series History
Sunday's match is the fifth all-time meeting between Georgia and Florida State, and the first since 2004. The Bulldogs prevailed in the first two meetings in Athens (1995, 1998), followed by consecutive wins by the Seminoles in Tallahassee (1999, 2004). Georgia sophomore Alyssa Stadeker, who made her first career start on Thursday, was a member of FSU's championship squad last season.

Georgia Welcomes Defending Champion to Athens
Georgia welcomes top-ranked and defending NCAA champion Florida State to Turner Soccer Complex for a nationally-televised showdown. This is the program's third-ever meeting against a No.1 team and the first at home. Overall, the Bulldogs are 3-13-0 against top-five teams, including a 2-1 overtime victory last season at No. 5 LSU.

McAlpine Era Opens with Victory
Georgia Soccer opened its 28th season and the tenure of head coach Keidane McAlpine with a 4-0 win over Georgia Southern Thursday evening. The Bulldogs posted three goals with headers by junior Tori Penn, graduate Dani Murguia, and sophomore Ellie Gilbert, followed by junior Taylor Rish's first career goal. Georgia did not surrender any corner kicks and only allowed three shots.

Career Firsts
In the 82nd minute, junior forward Taylor Rish posted her first career goal off the assist from Madison Haugen. In other firsts on Thursday, sophomore goalkeeper Liz Beardsley earned her first career win and shutout, while fellow sophomore Faith Ferrer tallied her first assist. Sophomes Morgan Hart and Alyssa Stadeker and freshman Cate Hardin each made their first career starts, while junior Alexis Parker and freshmen Millie Filson and Jada Gibson made regular season debuts.

Taking Notice
Numerous Bulldogs have received preseason plaudits, with graduates Abby Boyan, Dani Murguia, and Cecily Stoute each being named to the United Soccer Coaches' Players to Watch List. The trio was also joined by teammates Madison Haugen, Ruby Hellstrom, Mallie McKenzie, and Dasia Torbert on the SEC Preseason Watch List.

Loaded with Experience
Thanks to the NCAA's COVID-era eligibility changes, Georgia is equipped this season with four graduate players. Abby Boyan, Cecily Stoute, and Dani Murguia all return for their fifth seasons in Athens, with the trio each earning their bachelor's degree this year. All three players were named to both the SEC Preseason Watch List and United Soccer Coaches' Players to Watch List. They are joined by Washington transfer Ruby Hellstrom, who scored eight goals in 37 career starts for the Huskies.

New Friends on the Pitch
Even with 17 returning letterwinners, this year's squad features a large influx of talent with 12 newcomers: five transfers and seven freshmen. On the transfer part, Hellstrom is joined by fellow Pac-12 student-athlete Dasia Torbert, who returned home to Georgia following two seasons at UCLA. Torbert has previously played for the U.S. U18 Women's National Team and was the No. 12 recruit in the class of 2020. The Bulldogs also welcome sophomores Alyssa Stadeker (Florida State) and Joyelle Washington (Wisconsin), along with redshirt junior Nicole Vernis (Florida), who will sit out the season due to SEC transfer regulations.

On the freshmen side, defender Cate Hardin and midfielder Millie Filson have been impressive in exhibition play, with Hardin making two starts on the backline next to veteran Cecily Stoute. Goalkeeper Jordan Brown was the Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year during her 2019 sophomore season at Faith Lutheran HS in Las Vegas.

A Bulldog Legacy
Junior midfielder Dasia Torbert enters her first season at Georgia as the first legacy player in program history. Her mother, Ali Comis Bose, was a member of the inaugural four-year class that played from 1995-98, reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in her senior season. Torbert's father, Regan, also lettered for the football team in 2000.

Murguia Nears History
Last season, graduate forward Dani Murguia tied Suzannah Weathersbee's single-season assist record with 11, knocking her career total up to 20. Murguia now sits only four behind Weathersbee for the program career record (24) and will look to set a new top mark during the season. Fellow graduate Abby Boyan is already tied for 10th all-time in assists (13) and is nearing the top-10 in both goals and shots.

Up Next
Georgia travels to face Wake Forest on Thursday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. ACC Network Extra will stream the match.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Admission to Turner Soccer Complex is free. Spectators are encouraged to wear red and help "Pack the Pitch." The first 750 spectators will receive free Georgia Soccer scarves. There will be a Kids Zone on the Turner Soccer Complex plaza with a face painter and inflatables.