Georgia Hosts Colorado in NCAA Tournament First Round Friday

(7) Georgia (8-6-6, 3-3-4 SEC) vs. Colorado (11-4-5, 4-2-5 Big 12)
Date: Friday, Nov. 15
Time: 4:30 p.m. EST
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Stream ($): ESPN+ (Jeff Dantzler, PxP / Weldon Kolker, Analyst)
Live Stats: NCAA.com
X: @UGASoccer
Instagram: @UGASoccer

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

INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: Colorado leads, 1-0-1
In Athens: Tied, 0-0-1
In Boulder: Colorado leads 1-0-0
Last Meeting: T, 0-0 (2OT) (Aug. 27, 2004 – Athens, Ga.)
Current Streak: T1
GF / GA: 1 / 2

QUICK KICKS
Bring on the Buffs
Seventh-seeded Georgia opens the 2024 NCAA DI Women's Soccer Championship against Big 12 at-large selection Colorado Friday at Turner Soccer Complex. Both teams enter the NCAA Tournament after falling in the quarterfinals of their respective conference tournaments - Georgia lost, 1-0, to Arkansas while Colorado fell, 3-1, to TCU. Georgia tied for seventh in the SEC regular season standings, while Colorado placed ninth in its return season to the Big 12. The programs shared two common opponents during the regular season, with both squads falling in close losses to North Carolina, while Colorado tied UCF, who defeated Georgia on Sept. 1. Last season, the Buffaloes lost, 1-0, at Texas A&M in the NCAA First Round, while the Bulldogs won their first two matches against Liberty and Iowa before being eliminated on penalties at Clemson in the Round of 16.

Georgia and Colorado have faced off twice before, with Colorado winning the first meeting in Boulder in 2003, followed by a tie in Athens in 2004. Bulldogs head coach Keidane McAlpine has faced Buffaloes head coach Danny Sanchez 10 previous times, with both coaches entering the Pac-12 during the 2012 season. McAlpine is 8-2 all-time against Sanchez with losses coming during the 2014 and spring 2021 seasons. McAlpine is making his 14th NCAA Tournament appearance (13th consecutive), holding a 16-4-10 record in the tournament, including the 2016 NCAA championship at USC.

Bouncing Back
A late Arkansas goal proved to be the difference as Georgia's SEC Tournament title defense came to an end in a 1-0 loss last Tuesday in Pensacola. The Razorbacks broke the stalemate in the 82nd minute as Anaiyah Robinson put away a ball deflected by teammate Kennedy Ball, who was lying on the ground in front of the goal. The initial shot was made by Sophia Aragon, whose ball was deflected by Ball and sent to Robinson for the score. The Bulldogs turned in a couple of shots on frame in the first half but were turned away by Arkansas keeper Keegan Smith. Their best chance came in the 73rd minute as Dasia Torbert used her back foot to send the ball in before Smith dashed to catch it.

Brown's Best
Junior goalkeeper Jordan Brown has provided consistent excellence for Georgia throughout the season, earning the No. 29 spot in Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top 100 Player rankings. Brown was the third-highest ranked goalkeeper in the country and highest-ranked in the SEC. The Las Vegas native was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after shutting out Tennessee with six saves on Oct. 18. Brown enters the postseason with 116 saves, only six behind Nicole Williams' single-season record of 122 set in 2000. She also ranks third all-time in program history with 20 shutouts, along with leading the league in saves per game, total saves, and save percentage – all three rank in the top 25 nationally as well.

Strong Slate
Throughout his early tenure in Athens, Keidane McAlpine has made it a point to challenge his team with a difficult schedule. This year's schedule proved to be no different, entering the NCAA Tournament with the seventh-toughest slate in the country and second-toughest in the SEC. Georgia faced five of the top six teams in the RPI rankings and 10 top-30 programs. The Bulldogs were also one of five Power 4 programs to play a team from each of the other three major conferences.

Dawg Bites

Georgia holds a 9-10-2 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament, but has outscored its opponents by a 37-33 margin. Additionally, Georgia is 7-9-2 all-time against the Big 12 Conference, including a victory over Kansas in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have won four of its last five NCAA Tournament openers.
Georgia forward Margie Detrizio scored a winning goal for Washington State in a 1-0 victory against Colorado last season.
Junior goalkeeper Jordan Brown and graduate midfielder Nicole Vernis were named to the Second Team All-SEC. Brown is the fifth Bulldog goalie to earn All-SEC accolades and the first since Emory Wegener in 2020.
Georgia's draw at Auburn on Oct. 24 clinched the Bulldogs' third unbeaten SEC road slate in program history (2007, 2022, 2024). Georgia is 12-3-7 in road and neutral matches against SEC opponents under Keidane McAlpine.
Georgia has displayed a great ability to play with the lead this season, holding a 8-1-2 record when scoring first in a match, with Mississippi State being the lone loss in such matchups this season.
Following her appearance against Arkansas, graduate forward Tori Penn is now tied for sixth in program history with 87 matches played. Penn is the Bulldogs' active career leader in appearances, shots, and shots on goal, while ranking second in points and goals.

Up Next
If victorious, Georgia will face the winner of the Wake Forest - Morehead State first round matchup next Friday. The Bulldogs' quadrant of the bracket also includes Ohio State-James Madison and Auburn-FIU. The meeting between the Demon Deacons and Eagles will kick off at 6 p.m. EST in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Admission: Tickets can be purchased for $11 each, with all tickets being general admission. Students can receive free admission with a valid UGA ID. The Turner Soccer Complex will open one hour prior to the start of the match. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the UGA Ticket Office – on-site sales will be available at Turner.
Parking: Due to construction at the Turner Soccer Complex, parking is first-come, first-serve and carpooling is encouraged. For overflow crowds, a shuttle will carry fans from the Club Sports Complex parking lot on S. Milledge Drive, located next to Waffle House.
Entrance: Spectators will only be able to enter the Turner Soccer Complex on the first base side of Jack Turner Stadium. Gates will open one hour prior to kickoff.
Clear Bags: The UGA Clear Bag policy will be in effect for all home matches.
Prohibited Items: Umbrellas and outside noise makers are not permitted at Turner Soccer Complex.
Sustainability: Turner Soccer Complex is on a journey to become a zero-waste facility for the 2024 season.
Concessions: Concessions will be available via cashless/contactless payment.

University of Georgia Athletics

Georgia Hosts Colorado in NCAA Tournament First Round Friday

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