Match #12: Georgia 2, Texas A&M 1
Records: Texas A&M (4-8-0, 0-5-0), Georgia (4-3-5, 1-1-3)
Box Score
No win and no head coach to finish the game.
Texas A&M’s night in Athens ended without head coach Bobby Shuttleworth on the sideline.
The first-year head coach was ejected in the 78th minute as A&M (4-8-0, 0-5-0) fell 2-1 to Georgia (4-3-5, 1-1-3) on Friday night at Turner Soccer Complex, extending their losing streak to five.
Shuttleworth will serve a minimum one-match suspension and will not coach the Aggies as they travel to play Mississippi State next Friday.
A back-and-forth match turned in Georgia’s favor after the Bulldogs took their first lead of the night in the second half.
The Maroon & White were able to net one goal, but they stopped there.
The first half remained deadlocked for nearly 41 minutes as both teams traded opportunities.
Georgia’s defense forced A&M to take the majority of their shots from outside the 18-yard box by limiting space in the backline and applying a high press.
In turn, the Aggies forced shots instead of creating opportunities closer to goal.
Freshman Makenna August returned as the starting goalkeeper for her ninth career start. Junior goalkeeper Adelaide Paredes had started the last four matches before being subbed out for August after allowing five goals to Florida last September.
August made three saves on Friday night.
The Aggie defense stayed compact in shape, and while Georgia did not immediately capitalize, they created dangerous opportunities.
Senior Hattie Patterson was issued a yellow card in the 19th minute for a jersey tug that stopped Georgia’s Kieryn Jeter from potentially making a dangerous run into the attacking third.
A&M closed down Georgia in the defensive third and win balls back, until later in the second half.
Sophomore Ciara Jade Mitchell unlocked the deadlock in the 41st minute, opening the scoring 1-0 after the ball slipped past Georgia goalkeeper Jordan Brown near the right post.
The Aggies carried the lead into halftime.
The back-and-forth play continued in the second half until Georgia leveled the score in the 65th minute on a PK from Kiera Staude.
Georgia nearly earned another penalty kick when Sage Glover went down between junior Kat Campbell and senior Mia Scranton, with the latter grabbing Glover’s arm. After review, the call did not stand.
Shuttleworth was handed a first yellow card for dissent in the 68th minute after a conversation with the referee.
Georgia took the 2-1 lead in the 68th minute when Glover finished a two-touch volley off a Brown goal kick that was headed on by the Aggies.
With A&M trailing, Shuttleworth was shown a second yellow, which was elevated to a red card, for dissent in the 78th minute and forced to leave the pitch.
The Aggies were unable to tie the match in the remaining minutes, and they are still on the search for their first SEC victory.
A&M and UGA both recorded 18 shots, with the Maroon & White leading shots on goal 7-5.
The Ags continue their road trip next week in Starkville, Miss., against Mississippi State on Friday, Oct. 9.
