The women’s soccer team also opened conference play this season with up and down moments. Photo courtesy of UM Athletics.
UM’s volleyball and soccer teams opened conference play earlier this month and are approaching the midway point of their seasons. All three teams have had mixed results, with some memorable wins followed by disappointing defeats. Montevallo remains in position in the conference standings to make a surge up the rankings.
Men’s and women’s soccer have had fantastic performances but have also had a scoreless night or two. There is no doubting the potential to win every game, but the soccer teams must find consistency in order to make a run in the Peach Belt tournament at the end of October. The women’s volleyball team sits at .500 in the conference with over half of the season still to play.
The undefeated start to the season by the men’s soccer team was blemished by a loss in the conference opener. The Falcons lost by a lone goal to Francis Marion. They rebounded with a dramatic double-overtime victory at home. Liam Moore scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Young Harris. He leads the team with four goals and has shown flashes of brilliance in his freshman season.
However, the Falcons failed to put two consecutive wins together after falling to Flagler by two goals. The Falcons threatened throughout the game and led both teams in shots, but could not find the back of the net on a frustrating night. Montevallo was caught on a late counter-attack which doubled the scoring for the Saints, a score line that flattered the visitors. The Falcons will look to recover at Clayton State before the “Sea of Purple” game at home against Georgia Southwestern.
The women’s soccer team also opened conference play with up and down moments. A 1-0 road loss to Faulkner was followed by a spirited response in their conference opener at Francis Marion. A halftime 2-2 tie was broken in the second half by Taylor Gonzales’ second goal of the game. The Falcons finished the game strongly with an astonishing three goals scored in a little over two minutes to polish off the 6-2 score line.
At home, the Falcons found themselves down by two at half-time to Flagler, but offered a response in the second period of play. Michaila Franklin pulled a goal back in the seventy-first minute but Montevallo could not find the equalizer on the night. This week sees Coach Robert Lane’s team take on Clayton State before another road test at Armstrong State on Saturday.
Kristy Bohan leads the Peach Belt Conference in kills for the Falcons who are 2-2 in Peach Belt play. She is second in the conference in hitting percentage and claimed a second consecutive Peach Belt Player of the Week award. Senior Hannah Christie is third in the conference in assists, and the setter has been influential in the Falcons attack which features another senior, Chandler Cooper. The first two weekends of conference play have seen great results on Friday followed by disappointing losses on Saturday. To open conference play, Montevallo beat Georgia College in four sets but lost in four sets the next day against Augusta.
This past weekend, the Falcons swept UNC Pembroke before being swept themselves the next day by Francis Marion. Columbus State is followed up by this weekend’s home double header. Montevallo faces Armstrong State on Friday and Flagler on Saturday. Their two opponents are at the top of the conference standings. The Falcons will need a solid performance and a little bit of home-court advantage to see off two of the conference’s best teams.
