Georgia Travels to Face Wake Forest Thursday

August 24, 2022 | Soccer

Georgia (1-1-0, 0-0-0 SEC) at Wake Forest (2-0-0, 0-0-0 ACC)
Date: Thursday, Aug. 25
Time: 5 p.m. EDT
Location: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Site: Spry Stadium (3,000)

MEDIA INFORMATION
TV / Live Stream: ACC Network Extra
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter: @UGASoccer
Instagram: @UGASoccer

QUICK KICKS
Continuing to Coast
Georgia heads on the road for the first time in 2022 as it travels north to face ACC stalwart Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are the Bulldogs' third ACC opponent of the season and second-consecutive in the regular season. Thursday's match is the ninth between the two schools, with Wake Forest leading 3-2-3. In the most recent meeting, Georgia prevailed, 4-1, on April 3, 2021, in Athens. The three ties between the schools are the most of any non-conference opponent in Georgia program history.

Dawgs Fight Hard Against Seminoles
In its last meeting, Georgia fell to No. 1 Florida State, 3-1, Sunday afternoon before 1,883 spectators at the Turner Soccer Complex. Sunday's match marked the first time a top-ranked team had traveled to Athens, as well as the first goal scored by the Bulldogs against a No. 1 side. Trailing 2-0 in the first half, graduate forward Dani Murguia took advantage of a perfect pass from junior defender Madison Haugen to cut the deficit in half. The Bulldogs also held the top-ranked Seminoles scoreless in the second half.

Murguia Nears History
With her 28th-minute goal against FSU, graduate forward Dani Murguia notched her second score of the season and 15th of her career, matching teammate Abby Boyan for most by a current player. Murguia also reached 50 points in her career, moving closer to the top 10 in program history. Last season, she 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.

Beardsley Coming Up Big
Despite only having 45 minutes of previous experience under her belt, sophomore goalkeeper Liz Beardsley has impressed in her first two career starts. After posting a shutout against Georgia Southern, Beardsley posted a solid performance against No. 1 Florida State, tallying six saves, including an outstanding leaping punch-save in the second half.

Homecoming Quartet
Thursday's match marks Georgia's lone appearance of the season in North Carolina. Four Bulldogs are natives of the Tarheel State, tied with California for the state with the second-most student-athletes behind Georgia. Sophomores Jessie Dunn and Morgan Hart and freshman Sutton Webb hail from the Charlotte area, while freshman Emilie Cook is a Chapel Hill native. Dating back to 2017, the Bulldogs have won six straight regular season contests against North Carolina schools.

Career Firsts
In the 82nd minute against Georgia Southern, 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. Sophomores 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.

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. 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.

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.

Up Next
Georgia returns home this weekend to face College of Charleston on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m.