Holt's Strike Gives No. 20 AASU a 1-0 Win Over GCSU

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Sophomore forward Erin Holt's strike in the 19th minute propelled the No. 20-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's soccer team to a 1-0 Peach Belt Conference victory over visiting GCSU on Wednesday afternoon at AT&T Field.

The win keeps the Pirates (10-1-2, 6-0 PBC) atop the Peach Belt standings and also keeps AASU unbeaten in its last 10 matches, while GCSU (5-5-3, 1-1-2 PBC) dropped its first PBC match of the season and fell to 0-2-2 in their last four matches. AASU has also never lost to the Bobcats, improving to 5-0-1 all-time against its neighbors from Milledgeville.

A through ball from junior Carey Patterson found Holt on the right side of the field, just shy of the box, and her strike went into the upper 90 in the 19th minute, putting the Pirates on the board with an early 1-0 lead. Holt, who had two goals in AASU's win over Montevallo on Saturday, now has three goals in her last two matches.

The Pirates kept up the pressure on the Bobcats and owned a 10-3 shots advantage into intermission. GCSU's best chance in the first half came on a corner kick when Kara Teresi's header went just wide of the far post in the 33rd minute.

In the second half, the Pirates almost made it a quick 2-0 lead as Kristina Pascutti's header missed just high off of a corner kick in the 49th minute. GCSU's last chance to score the equalizer came on a Jessica Newland shot just wide in the 75th minute, but then the Pirate defense clamped down, not allowing the Bobcats another shot in the final 15 minutes of the match.

AASU enjoyed a 17-7 shot advantage in the match, while also collecting six corner kicks compared to three for GCSU. Bobcat keeper Mary Rob Plunkett made seven saves in the match, while AASU keeper Tracey Mitchell made two saves for her first shutout of the season.

The Pirates return to action on Saturday, October 10, with a 4:00 p.m. showdown at No. 3-ranked Columbus State. GCSU is next in action on October 10 as well, playing at Clayton State at 4:00 p.m.