DAHLONEGA, GA – After one of the  best two-year careers in program history, Emily Dover has been  recognized at the highest level, earning NSCAA Division II women’s soccer  All-American honors after her record breaking season.

The awards keep piling up for the Canton,  Georgia, native who adds All-American honors to her already impressive resume in
2011. The senior was named Co-PBC Player of the Year and followed it up with  First-Team All-Region honors in the southeast.

As just the second North Georgia women’s soccer  player to earn an All-American nod, Dover joins former standout Casey Smith as  the two most decorated players in program history.

Dover set school records in 2011 for most goals  in a single season with 16 and total points in a season with 37. She was also
made her mark in the record book for her career, sitting second in total goals  with 23 and tied for third in total points with 53 after playing just two  seasons for the Lady Saints.

While Dover got off to a slow start in her  All-American season, she put together one of the most impressive offensive  spurts in school history with all 16 of her goals in a span of 15 games. She  tallied multiple goals in five different games, and was named the PBC Offensive Player of the Week on two different occasions.

A flare of the dramatics were found at every turn with Dover, who tallied five game-winning goals, including three in a four-game
span that featured a golden goal in double overtime against 15th-ranked UNC Pembroke.

Dover and the other 35 All-Americans will be recognized at the annual All-America Luncheon, to be held in the Kansas City
Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 14, in conjunction with the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas Bayly and Stephanie Lowery have each earned their second All-American honors for the 2011 season. Bayly was selected to the NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Women’s Division II All-America First Team while Lowery was a Second Team member for the second consecutive season.

Bayly, the Co-Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year has been a mainstay of the CSU backline since her arrival in Columbus. She is part of a backline that posted 12 shutouts this season, tied for 15th most nationally. They have held opponents to 0.59 goals against average which is also the 15th best mark in the nation. The Lilburn native scored six goals for the team including a pair of game-winnings goals. Her six goals were the most by any defender in the Peach Belt Conference. Bayly was also named to the Daktronics All-American team earlier this fall, one of just three Peach Belt Conference student-athletes to receive the honor.

Lowery has been one the best offensive players to come through Columbus State ranking in the top five in both goals (33, third) and points (81, fourth) all-time at CSU. This season she once again led the team in scoring posting 29 points on 12 goals and five assists. The Sandy, Utah native was a clutch performer tallying five game-winning goals including the game-winners in both the PBC and NCAA Tournament wins for the Lady Cougars. This is the second straight year that Lowery was a second team honoree by the NSCAA. Along with Bayly, Lowery also named to the Daktronics All-American team earlier this fall.

Pascutti earns her first All-American honor on the field in the same year that she was named an Academic All-American. The Lilburn, Ga., native earned a spot on the second team after scoring 12 goals with three assists in 24 matches played, leading Armstrong in points while also earning co-Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year honors. A second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American, Pascutti notched five game-winning goals in 2011 and also earned All-PBC and All-Southeast Region honors this season.

Dover, a Canton, Ga. native, adds All-American honors to her already impressive resume in 2011. The senior was named Co-PBC Player of the Year and followed it up with First-Team All-Region honors in the southeast. Dover set North Georgia school records in 2011 for most goals in a season with 16 and total points in a season with 37. She also made her mark in the record book for her career, sitting second in total goals with 23 and tied for third in total points with 53 after playing just two seasons for the Lady Saints.

A total of 36 All-Americans will be recognized at the annual All-America Luncheon, to be held in the Kansas City Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 14, in conjunction with the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Mo.

2011 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Women’s Division II All-America Team

2011 NCAA Women’s Division II All-Southeast Team

DAHLONEGA, GA – Nearly a month  after the North Georgia women’s soccer team completed their most successful season in the school history a trio of Lady Saints have been named to the NSCAA Southeast All-Region team announced on Friday afternoon.

Emily Dover led the way with First-Team All-Region honors as a forward, while Kelly Penston and Natalie Douglass were both
selected Second-Team members as representatives from the Southeast Region.

After earning Co-PBC Player of the Year honors for dominating performances all season long, Dover is an elite company as one of
four first-team forwards from the Southeast. The senior scored a school-record 16 goals on the year and added five assists for 37 total points, also setting a school record. Five multiple goal games and four game-winning goals highlight some of the most impressive stats for the two-time PBC Offensive Player of the Week during the season. After not scoring in each of North Georgia’s first two games of the year, the Canton, Georgia, native then went on a tear, scoring 16 goals in 15 games to propel herself to top honors in the Peach Belt Conference as the best player in the league. Dover was also awarded the annual “Golden
Ball” for leading the league in scoring during the 2011 season.

Kelly Penston wraps up her sophomore campaign with back-to-back Southeast All-Region honors after picking up the award in 2009 before sitting out the 2010 season due to injury. Penston is second on the team in scoring with six goals and two assists to give her 14 points on the year. Penston ranked in the top 15 in the PBC in both goals and points. The Lady Saints spark plug tied for fifth in the conference with three game winning goals including one in conference against USC Aiken. She played and started in all 20 games this season.

After earning Second-Team All-Conference honors, Douglass picks up Second-Team All-Region honors after another dominating season in the midfield. The senior scored five goals and added three assists on the year and tallied a pair of game-winning goals. She put home the Lady Saints’ decisive goal in the program’s first-ever game in the NCAA Tournament to propel North Georgia to a 3-1 victory over Wingate in the opening round. As a Second-Team selection, Natalie Douglass was named Preseason All-Conference and led the North Georgia midfield with four goals and two assists, including the game-winner in a 4-0 beat down in the opening round of the PBC Tournament. The four-year starter played and started in 19 games for the Lady Saints and connected on the team’s only penalty kick of the year.

As a member of the First-Team, Dover will be eligible for NSCAA Division II All-American honors, which will be announced in
the coming days.

North Georgia experienced their most successful season in school history in 2011, setting a program record for wins with 16,
while being ranked in the Division II top 25 poll for eight straight weeks with their highest ranking coming on October 11, at No. 10 in the country.

After finishing a program-high 2nd place in the PBC regular season standings, the Lady Saints received an at-large bid to their
first-ever NCAA Tournament where they defeated Wingate 3-1 in the opening round. Sitting one victory away from the “Sweet 16″ North Georgia fell to Armstrong Atlantic who advanced to the “Final Four” before falling to the eventual National Champions, Saint Rose.

North Georgia has plenty to look forward to in 2012 with eight starters returning next fall, including Penston and All-Conference defender Megan  Morrow.

The men’s soccer team was represented by both Gray and Jesy Phelps. Gray, a senior, earned the honors after posting a 3.58 GPA while majoring in Exercise Science.

Gray’s younger brother Jesy, who is a junior, earned a 3.63 GPA studying history. Jesy earned PBC All-Conference honors this
season as well.

Both from Charleston, South Carolina, the Phelps’ have been mainstays on the PBC All-Academic teams over the past years. Both student-athletes have earned scholar athlete awards as well as being members of the PBC All-Academic teams in year’s past.

The Lady Saints saw four players represented. Danielle Brannan, Natalie Douglass, Emily Dover and Taylor Lee all earned the
award this season.

The senior from Loganville, Georgia, Brannan earned a 3.67 while studying Exercise Science. Brannan has earned Scholar
Athlete awards her past three seasons and was a member of the PBC All-Academic team last year as well.

Douglass has received bronze and silver scholar athlete honors the past two seasons before landing on the All-Academic team this year. Douglass, from Lawrenceville, Georgia, posted a 3.53 studying Nursing.

Emily Dover is majoring in early childhood education and earned a 3.43 GPA. From Canton, Georgia, Dover has plans of heading back to her hometown and becoming a teacher. Dover was also named Peach Belt Co-Player of the Year this year.

Taylor Lee posted an outstanding 3.85 while studying childhood education. The junior from McDonough, Georgia, started every
game this year for head coach Chris Adams at defender. Lee has plans of becoming an elementary school teacher and has one more year of eligibility.

All of the women’s soccer players who earned honors this year were members of the team last year as well.

The team is part of a season-long program recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of PBC student-athletes in the
classroom as well as on the field.

To be eligible for the All-Academic team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team’s events
and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee and select the teams.

SAVANNAH, GA – The 25th-ranked and 4th-seeded North Georgia women’s soccer team had every chance to put top-seeded Armstrong away in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but the Pirates scored a goal in each half and emerged with a 2-0 victory at Pirate Field.

The Lady Saints, who end the year at 16-3-1, cap their season as the most successful team in school history. The 2011 squad set
program records for wins in a season, the best start in school history and became the first team to advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

Armstrong, ranked No. 7 in the country and holding the top seed in the Southeast, will advance to the Sweet 16 as they look
to continue their run in the playoffs.

North Georgia had plenty of scoring opportunities early including two chances from point blank range in the opening minutes, as Abby Trevino found herself free in the box in the 5th minute, but her laser shot connected with the post and kept the game scoreless. Emily Dover had an equally good look in the 8th minute but the attempt sailed just high of the mark.

The Pirates had their best chance early in the 16th minute when Emily Cattanach sent a shot towards goal that found the post
and bounced back into play, only to be cleared by a North Georgia defender.

The Pirates had an opening in the 25th minute on a free kick and they capitalized to the fullest when Andye Dawson lined up and drilled a shot to the far post that found the back of the net and gave Armstrong a one-goal lead, a score that held true until intermission.

The second half was all about the North Georgia offense peppering Armstrong from every angle, sending shots wide of the mark at every turn. The Lady Saints saw their best chances come off corner kicks as they fired five of their six second-half shots following a corner, but could never find the back of the net.

Natalie Douglass had a golden opportunity with a header off a corner that would have been the equalizer in the 64th minute, but
Armstrong’s Kristina Pascutti made the team save and kept North Georgia off the board.

The Pirates made some noise in the 66th minute when they lined up for their first and only corner kick of the game and Dawson
sent a perfect ball in the box that was headed home by Morgan Mitchell to double the lead and give Armstrong a commanding 2-0 lead.

The Lady Saints never gave up however, keeping constant pressure on the Pirate defense, including another header off a corner,
this time by Trevino that clanked off the cross bar and back into the box. North Georgia then had two different shots deflected including a possible Armstrong handball that wasn’t called before the Lady Saints were whistled for a foul.

Armstrong goalkeeper Maggie Carson tallied just two saves in the game, but recorded the shutout in all 90 minutes of action. Kirsten Ross suffered the loss, allowing both Armstrong goals and picking up just one save.

North Georgia seniors Kirsten Ross, Danielle Brannan, Emily Dover, Natalie Douglass and Sara Kate Rogers played their final game for the Lady Saints and will leave a legacy that is unmatched by any group to this point. Not only did this senior class take North Georgia to the next level, but they set a standard that teams will strive to equal for years to come.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, jdbeall@northgeorgia.edu

SAVANNAH, GA – The 25th-ranked and 4th-seeded North Georgia women’s soccer team used timely defense and a pair of second-half goals on Friday afternoon to soar past 5th-seeded Wingate University 3-1 in the opening round of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

North Georgia (16-2-1) refused to have the final chapter written on their already storied season, as they proved resilient in the
second half and buried Wingate (16-4) to put a lid on the 2011 campaign for the Bulldogs.

A two-minute span early in the second half was the difference in the game, as Wingate used a goal from Miranda Izabella in the
46th minute to knot the score, but just 60 seconds later Bulldog goalkeeper Miriam Boucher was awarded a red card to swing the tide right back to North Georgia.

Playing up a man the rest of the game, North Georgia pelted the Wingate defense over the final 43 minutes and finally broke
the tie in the 69th minute when Taylor Lee sent a corner kick in the box and Natalie Douglass fought her way to the ball and headed home her fifth goal of the year to give the Lady Saints a 2-1 advantage. The senior tallied her 2nd game-winner in the last three contests with the score.

North Georgia added some breathing room in the 77th minute when Caroline Wallace sent a cross in from the corner and Cicely Taliaferro was waiting at the far post and fired a header past Wingate keeper Ashlyn Hardie to give the Lady Saints a 3-1 lead.

While Wallace assisted on the final goal of the game, she was on the receiving end early when Abby Trevino and Melanie Thompson connected on back-to-back headers in the box in the 9th minute and Wallace finished with a bouncing header over the line to give North Georgia the early lead. The goal was the first-ever score for the Lady Saints in the NCAA Tournament and propelled North Georgia to a 1-0 halftime advantage.

Kirsten Ross picked up the win for the Lady Saints in goal, allowing just the one Wingate goal and tallying eight saves on the game with six of those coming in the second half. Hardie allowed both North Georgia goals in the final 45 minutes and suffered the loss while recording four saves.

The Lady Saints made the most of their five corner kicks, scoring on two of them with one coming in each half. North Georgia
held an 18-15 edge in shots, while the Lady Saints were whistled for 11 fouls to five for the Bulldogs.

North Georgia now advances to the round of 32 and will take 7th-ranked and top-seeded Armstrong Atlantic on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. In the only meeting between the two teams this season, the Lady Saints scored a late goal and forced a 1-1 tie in the final game of the regular season.

Lady Saints to Take on Wingate in NCAA Tournament Opener

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, jdbeall@northgeorgia.edu

INTERACTIVE BRACKET | DOWNLOAD BRACKET

DAHLONEGA, GA – In a liveselection show on NCAA.com Monday evening, the North Georgia women’s soccer team was awarded the No. 4 seed in the Southeast and will make their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

The Lady Saints enter the NCAA Tournament with a 15-2-1 overall record and will take on No. 5 seed and South Atlantic Conference Tournament Champion Wingate in the opening round. The first round contest will be played on the campus of top-seeded Armstrong Atlantic at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The winner of Friday’s game will advance to the round of 32 and will be awarded 19th-ranked Armstrong Atlantic on Sunday afternoon for a spot in the “Sweet 16″.

The winner of the three-team bracket will take on the advancing team from the Lenoir-Rhyne Regional that consists of No. 3 seeded Columbus State and No. 6 seeded Lees-McRae. The winner of the 3 v 6 match-up will battle the 2nd-seeded Bears to advance to the Southeast Region title game.

Wingate (16-3) enters the National Tournament winners of five straight, including a clean sweep through the SAC Tournament Championship that included a convincing 4-2 victory over 2nd-seeded and 5th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday evening.

The Bulldogs opened the year with two losses in their first three games, but responded with a 15-1 mark since and have made their mark as one of the top teams in the region.

Ranked in the nation’s top 25 for the seventh straight week, No. 13 North Georgia will have to get accustomed to the big stage on the fly as they make their first-ever National Tournament appearance and look to extend the program’s record for the most wins in school history.

Tickets to the NCAA Division II Southeast Women’s Soccer Regional are $7.00 for adults, $4.00 for senior citizens and $1.00 for students.

Lady Saints Well Represented at PBC Awards Banquet

November 4, 2011

AUGUSTA, GA – The North Georgia women’s soccer team was well represented Friday afternoon at the Peach Belt Conference awards banquet, as the Lady Saints had four players named PBC All-Conference, including Emily Dover who was named the league’s Co-Player of the Year.

With Dover earning PBC Player of the Year honors, she was also named First-Team All-Conference as a forward, joining Kelly Penston who was also named First-Team All-PBC as a midfielder. Earning Second-Team honors was Natalie Douglass as a midfielder and Megan Morrow at defender.

As the fifth athlete in North Georgia history to earn PBC Player of the Year honors for any sport, Dover (pictured right) did so in dominating fashion all season long. The senior has scored a school-record 16 goals on the year and added five assists for 37 total points, also setting a school record. Five multiple goal games and four game-winning goals highlight some of the most impressive stats for the two-time PBC Offensive Player of the Week during the season. After not scoring in each of North Georgia’s first two games of the year, the Canton, Georgia, native then went on a tear, scoring 16 goals in 15 games to propel herself to top honors in the Peach Belt Conference as the best player in the league. Dover was also awarded the annual “Golden Ball” for leading the league in scoring during the 2011 season.

Kelly Penston earns back-to-back First-Team All-Conference honors after picking up the honor in 2009 before sitting out the 2010 season due to injury. Penston is second on the team in scoring with six goals and two assists to give her 14 points on the year. Penston ranks in the top 15 in the league in both goals and points. The Lady Saints spark plug is tied for fifth in the conference with three game winning goals including one in conference against USC Aiken. She has played and started in all 17 games this season.

As a Second-Team selection, Natalie Douglass was named Preseason All-Conference and led the North Georgia midfield with four goals and two assists, including the game-winner in a 4-0 beat down in the opening round of the PBC Tournament. The four-year starter has played and started in 15 games for the Lady Saints this season and connected on the team’s only penalty kick of the year.

A member of the Second-Team, Megan Morrow made a splash in the Peach Belt, anchoring a North Georgia Defense that led the conference in goals allowed (11) and goals against average (.63). She has started and played in all 17 games this season for the Lady Saints. Morrow has registered three assists this season. She was named the PBC Defender of the Week of September 20, and was the only freshman to earn the honor this year.

The 2nd-seeded and 13th-ranked Lady Saints now turn their attention to tonight’s all-important PBC Tournament semifinal game at 5:00 p.m. against 3rd-seeded Columbus State at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Georgia. A matchup of last year’s tournament championship game, both squads will be looking to make a repeat appearance in the title game, while the Cougars are looking to win their fifth PBC Tournament in the last six years.

Players of the Year

~~~ Midfielders ~~~
Andrea Collen, UNC Pembroke
Stephanie Lowery, Columbus State
Morgan Mitchell, Armstrong
Kelly Penston, North Georgia

~~~  Defenders ~~~
Kelli Bahr, Armstrong
Kansas Bayly, Columbus State
Kayla Brown, Columbus State
Fanny Forsman, UNC Pembroke

~~~ Goalkeeper ~~~
Britney Bennett, UNC Pembroke

Second Team All-Conference

~~~ Forwards ~~~
Christina Barbour, Lander
Loren Cate, Flagler
Kiana Nicholson, Columbus State
Natalia Valentine, Clayton State

~~~ Midfielders ~~~
Karen Bonilla, Georgia College
Andye Dawson, Armstrong
Natalie Douglas, North Georgia
Josefina Holsten, Clayton State

~~~ Defenders ~~~
Silvia Espelt, Clayton State
Megan Morrow, North Georgia
Kristin Rosato, Montevallo
Danielle Shaw, Lander

~~~ Goalkeeper ~~~
Laoise O’Driscoll, Clayton State

~~~ Freshman of the Year ~~~
Kiana Nicholson, Columbus State

~~~ Coach of the Year ~~~
Eric Faulconer, Armstrong

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, jdbeall@northgeorgia.edu

DAHLONEGA, GA – It came down to the final game of the regular season for the top two teams in the league to meet and lived up to all the hype as No. 11 North Georgia and No. 18 Armstrong battled to a 1-1 tie at the Soccer Complex in Peach Belt Conference action.

With the win, Armstrong (12-2-3, 9-0-1) captures the PBC regular season championship outright and will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming PBC Tournament, while North Georgia (14-1-1, 8-1-1) settles for the No. 2 seed and will host a tournament game next Tuesday at a time to be determined on Sunday when the bracket is announced.

The top two teams in the region went head-to-head in the first half, trading chances to score until the Pirates finally broke the
scoreless tie in the 34th minute when Brianne Matarazzo played a cross in the box through traffic and Kristina Pascutti was on the other end to tap it in for 11th score of the year.

North Georgia held a 7-6 edge in shots during the opening half, but never converted and Armstrong Atlantic held the one-goal edge heading to intermission.

The Lady Saints came out firing in the second half and stole the momentum back early and never let it go. North Georgia was on
the attack for 35 straight minutes and finally got a goal in the 80th minute when Abby Trevino played a ball wide to Kelly Penston and the sophomore dribbled straight for goal and sent a perfect pass to a streaking Emily Dover who connected on a sliding attempt to knot the score at a goal apiece.

The score for Dover was her league-leading 14th goal of the year, as the senior is firmly positioned to end the regular season with the most goals in the Peach Belt Conference. Her 14 goals are also a North Georgia record for a single season.

The Lady Saints continued to put pressure on the Pirate defense down the stretch, recording 12 shots in the second half but never taking the lead. North Georgia’s defense was next to perfect in the second half, allowing just one shot by Armstrong and giving the offense a chance to knot the score.

Taylor Lee, Megan Morrow, Melanie Thompson and Emily Bowen continued to prove they are one of the best defenses in the country, holding the Pirates at bay in overtime and sending the game to deadlock following 110 minutes of action.

North Georgia falls to 3-7 all-time against Armstrong, but the two clubs have gone 2-2 in the last four games. If the Lady Saints and Pirates are to meet in the PBC Tournament it would come in the championship game with the two teams starting on opposite sides of the bracket.