Soccer Pivots South for Pair of Peach State Clashes

WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (2-2-2) vs GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES (3-3-1) 

KICKOFF NOTES

The Cougars travel to the Peach State for a pair of matches at the University of Georgia campus. WSU will face Georgia Southern, Thursday, Sept. 12 at noon PT (3 p.m. ET) from Turner Soccer Complex.

Wazzu and Georgia Southern have met once, historically, when the Eagles made the trip to Pullman, Washington in 2017. The Cougs won 5-0, Sept. 3, with goals from five different individuals.

Against the Sun Belt, WSU holds a 2-1-2 record with the majority of the matches (3) coming against James Madison. The Cougars most-recent contest against an SBC opponent was the season-opener, Aug. 19, 2021, hosting Arkansas State in front of a record crowd 3,147 to a 1-1 draw.

Cougar soccer was named No. 21 on SoccerWire’s list of the Top 50 most successful women’s soccer programs in the country over the last five years.

Last time on the pitch the Cougs drew UC San Diego, 1-1, Sunday afternoon in Pullman. Rajanah Reed scored her first goal of the season to equalize in the 37th minute. WSU outshot the Tritons 25-7, but could not find a second-half winner.

Grayson Lynch made her 84th career appearance in Sunday’s draw to UCSD, moving her within one match of seventh in career matches played (by a field player) in Coug history. If Lynch plays in all remaining regular season matches, she will finish second in all-time WSU matches played with 97 behind Sydney Pulver at 98 career games played.

Shevaun Judon and Ashly Berge made their first WSU starts in Sunday’s draw with UCSD. Judon made her first start in 1,060 days, last starting for Liberty at North Florida, Oct. 14, 2021. Berge made her first start in 689 days, last starting for Boise State vs New Mexico, Oct. 10, 2022.

Nadia Cooper moved to fourth in career GK minutes in WSU history and has eclipsed 5,300 minutes played. In the previous match against the Tritons, Cooper reached 60 matches played.

Nadia Cooper increased her career total to 180 saves, sixth in Cougar goalkeeping history. Cooper also sits fifth in WSU history with 28 career wins and her cleansheet against Montana,…