Wednesday, September 27, 2006

NORTH GEORGIA EARNS DRAW
Whittington scores pair to forge tie

Dahlonega, Ga. – North Georgia College & State University used two goals by Ryan Whittington to earn a 2-2 draw against Covenant College on a cool Wednesday evening in Dahlonega.

North Georgia got the first opportunity in overtime when Jeremy Bouasy rocketed a shot from about 25 yards out. The ball tipped off the hands of Covenant goalkeeper Jeremy DeWaters. DeWaters scrambled to retrieve the ball before Whittington could put it home.

Brandon Kirksey came up big for the Saints in the second overtime when Chris Wall went far post in the 107th minute. Kirksey was able to get a hand on the ball and deflect it away to keep the game tied.

Whittington got the Saints on the board in the 19th minute when he took a pass from Bouasy, and beat DeWaters low to the right side to give North Georgia a 1-0 lead. The goal was Whittington's sixth, and the fifth time he and Bouasy have teamed on a goal this season. Matthew Powell also got credit for an assist as he put Bouasy into the play and allowed the pass to Whittington.

The Whittington-Bouasy connection almost struck again in the 27th minute when Bouasy put Whittington into a one-on-one situation with DeWaters. This time, however, DeWaters was up to the task by stopping Whittington in the box.

Although the game was only 1-0 at the half, the Saints dominated play with a total of ten shots to the Scots one.

Covenant got on the scoreboard when Zach Terrell cleaned up a mess in front of goal after a cross by Alec Waller. Terrell punched the ball past Saints' goalkeeper Kirksey in the 51st minute.

Kirksey kept the score tied in the 65th minute when he sprawled to his right and stopped a rocket off the foot of David Stair. He did it again in the 66th minute, stopping a header from Wall.

The Bouasy-Whittington combination struck again in the 69th minute when Bouasy kicked the ball out to Joey Rector. Rector in turn crossed it onto a running Whittington for his seventh goal of the season and a 2-1 North Georgia lead.

Kirksey struck again in goal, punching a sure header by Convenant out of the goal mouth just 30 seconds after the game-winner.

Covenant (4-4-2) equalized the game with just 3:14 left on the clock when Alec Waller took a misplay in the back and turned it into a breakaway to tie the game at 2-2.

North Georgia (3-7-1, 1-2 Peach Belt) returns to conference play this weekend, traveling to Florence to face Francis Marion on Saturday.

-NGCSU-

Box Score

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