GREENWOOD – The Lander women's soccer seniors went out a winner Saturday, thanks to an overtime goal by a freshman.
Chrissie Wallace scored four minutes into the first overtime off an assist from junior Ayana Reid to give the Lady Bearcats a season-ending 1-0 victory over North Georgia College and State University. It was Lander's first Peach Belt Conference win of the year and broke the team's six-game losing streak.
The Lady Bearcats finished the season 4-12 overall and 1-8 in the PBC. Despite outshooting Lander 25-8, North Georgia would suffer a tough loss and fall to 8-7-2 overall, 3-5-1 in the Peach Belt.
Lander's Meredith Abrahamsen was one of four players honored on Senior Day, then made like a goalkeeper by saving two shots. Lady Bearcats goalkeeper Rachael Hine also had several sparkling saves as Lander and North Georgia played to a 0-0 tie through regulation.
Then in overtime, Reid made a crossing pass to Wallace in front of the goal. Wallace redirected the ball with her head into the goal, setting off a wild celebration for the Lady Bearcats. It was Wallace's third goal of the season.
Seniors honored before the match with flowers, a framed jersey and team autographs were midfielders Abrahamsen of Columbia, S.C., Sarah Burnett of West Milton, Ohio; Tracy Opitz of Sidney, Ohio; and Christian Wade of Greer, S.C.
Abrahamsen made her first big play five minutes into the match. North Georgia's Jessica Williams took a shot that was knocked down by Hine. After a scramble, the ball was headed into the net when Abrahamsen stepped into the goal and stopped the ball before it crossed the line. The Lady Bearcats survived that flurry and the game settled down into a scoreless first half.
Lander got through another North Georgia flurry early in the second half with Hine coming up big with some saves.
The Lady Bearcats had a big scoring chance with 26 minutes left in regulation when North Georgia goalkeeper Leigha Terry stopped a high, hard shot by Wade. The deflection came to Burnette, whose shot narrowly missed. A few minutes later, Wallace's pass to Opitz nearly produced a goal. But Terry made the stop.
Abrahamsen made another stop inside the goal with 11:22 left when a North Georgia shot got behind Hine, preserving the shutout that would be clinched by Wallace's game-winning goal.
Hine was brilliant in goal, producing her second shutout of the season. The sophomore had 13 saves, and also came out and halted several breakaway pass attempts. Terry had six saves for the Saints. North Georgia had a 9-1 edge in corner kicks.
