Junior Addison Comer's header in the 86th minute snapped a 2-2 tie and gave Georgia Southern women's soccer a 3-2 season-opening victory over visiting Samford in a back-and-forth affair from Bo Pitts Field on Thursday evening.
The Eagles (1-0) claimed their first win over Samford (0-1) in 12 tries with the victory over the Bulldogs, who entered the match as the defending SoCon Tournament champions. In the first season opener played at home for Georgia Southern since 2020, it is also the first time that the Eagles open the regular season with a win at home since a 6-0 victory over Georgia State during the 2000 campaign.
"It means everything," Georgia Southern head women's soccer coach Chris Adams said on opening the season with a win at Bo Pitts Field. "Last year, these one-goal games got away from us a lot of times. We were only 2-9 in those games. To show the resilience, to go out in front, let them back in it; go back out in front and let them back in it, and then have a final answer at the end - I couldn't be more proud of our ability to find a way to win."
It took very little time for Georgia Southern to get on the board as, from the kickoff, the Eagles surged forward. Senior Erin Wilkins' cross from the right side dropped onto the head of fellow senior Bri Conley, who headed it inside the far post just 30 seconds into the match for a quick 1-0 lead for Georgia Southern
Samford answered back late in the first half as a shot from Isa Moreno from the right side of hte box was saved by Eagle goalkeeper Addison Daughtry, but Samantha De Luca was there to clean up the rebound, tallying the equalizer in the 37th minute. The match would enter halftime all square a 1-1 with Samford holding a 7-5 edge in shots.
The Eagles retook the lead in the 67th minute as sophomore Hailey Esser fed a cross that took a deflection off of a Samford defender and wound up at the top of the box, where freshman Paisley Cathey got onto it and lofted a shot over the outstretched arms of Samford goalkeeper Peyton Hull for her first collegiate goal and the 2-1 advantage.
The Bulldogs again drew level in the 77th minute as Sarah Holland drove along the end line from the right side and fed a ball into the box, where it deflected off of Daughtry and found the foot of Claire Nicholas, whose point blank shot found the net to make it 2-2.
The match-winner came on a similar effort from Conley, who drove the endline from the left side and pulled back a ball to Comer, who was all alone inside the box. Her header just grazed inside the near post and in for the deciding tally.
Samford held an 18-10 edge in shots on the night. Daughtry made five saves in net in her collegiate debut for the Eagles, while Hull made one save for the Bulldogs. Each team registered six corner kicks on the night and Samford was whistled for 20 fouls and seven offsides, compared to 11 fouls and one offsides for Georgia Southern.
The season-opening win also reverses last season's opener, which was a 3-2 loss at Hawai'i.
"The team's work in the offseason was the difference," Coach Adams said about the change from last season's opener. "Paying it forward, playing on summer teams, coming back in a much better place and it also helped to play two exhibitions instead of just one. Tonight, I felt like we were prepared against a very good Samford team that was picked second in their league, and a team that we've never beaten. To get that first win over a storied program like that gives us all the confidence in the world."
The Eagles return to action on Sunday, hosting Jacksonville in a 1 p.m. non-conference contest at Bo Pitts Field.
The Eagle Victory Perch Plan is aimed at advancing the success of Eagle student-athletes and reinforcing Georgia Southern's mission to compete at the highest level of collegiate athletics and consists of five ways to give to the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation and support your Eagles:
- Capital/Facility Project Funds
- Competitive Excellence Fund
- Eagle Nation Fund
- Erk Russell Fund
- Sport-Specific Agency Fund
These five funds will serve as an avenue for donors and Eagle Nation to contribute directly to initiatives that impact the programs and student-athletes, including revenue-sharing models and NIL support structures.
To learn more about The Eagle Victory Perch Plan and how you can contribute, visit GSEagles.com/GiveENF or contact the Georgia Southern Athletic Fund at (800) 478-9467.
