The Greene County girls soccer team got a huge region win on Friday, March 28, securing its spot in the postseason.
The Lady Tigers defeated Washington-Wilkes 4-1 behind a strong performance from Maria Mendez, who scored her first two goals of the season.
Greene County coach Jacob Baxley was proud of how his team performed against Washington-Wilkes.
“It was a great team win,” Baxley told the Lake Oconee News. “The players were focused and gave a great effort. They knew the playoffs were on the line, but didn’t let the pressure impact them.”
Greene County took a quick 1-0 lead as Washington-Wilkes mistakenly scored a goal on its net, but the lead didn’t last long. The Lady Tigers of Washington quickly tied it up with a goal from freshman Hannah Barker.
The remaining minutes of the first half were challenging for both teams. Each attempted shots on goal but were unable to convert. However, Greene County took a 2-1 lead into halftime with a goal from Alison Agular.
The Lady Tigers dictated the pace of the game in the second half and added two more goals to secure the region victory.
Mendez was outstanding for her team as she executed kicks that sailed into the back of the net.
Baxley said the win over the Lady Tigers of Washington-Wilkes was a confidence booster for his players.
“It was an important win for the girls, having played well during some recent losses,” Greene’s head coach said. “We’re finally getting to full strength. We’ve been missing players all season due to injuries [and other reasons]. We’re hoping to have everyone back and playing these last few games and going into the state playoffs.”
Greene County concluded its region slate with a 1-3 record, placing the Lady Tigers fourth in the standings ahead of Washington-Wilkes. Lake Oconee Academy, Lincoln County, and Towns County hold the top three spots.
The Lady Tigers are headed back to the postseason for a third-straight season, and Baxley is proud of his girls.
Baxley has learned a great deal about this team in the past few weeks and is excited to see how the season concludes.
“I’ve learned how strong the team bond is in supporting one another,” Baxley said. “Also, what else stands out is how much each player has grown.”