Columbus State Wins 2008 PBC Women's Soccer Championship

Columbus, GA - Fifth-ranked Columbus State erased any doubts early on about whether it would clinch its fourth consecutive Peach Belt Conference regular-season title with six first-half goals against Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday. The Lady Cougars went on to post an 11-0 whitewash at the Walden Soccer Complex. CSU, now 16-3 overall and 7-0 in the PBC, wins its third straight outright title after sharing the championship with Clayton State in 2005. The PBC win is the 20th consecutive regular conference victory for a program in just its fifth year of existence.

Jess Woodson tallied her first two goals of the season and Rachel Walthall added two, as well, as nine different Lady Cougars found the net. The 11 goals was one short of a school record set last year against this same Georgia Southwestern team when CSU won 12-0.

Cortney Norris got things started for CSU in the 10th minute, slipping a shot past Hurricane keeper Lindsey Richardson from high in the box. Less than four minutes later, Lindsey Morgan punched in a shot from 15 yards to make it 2-0. The Lady Cougars then got two goals just over a minute apart to go up 4-0. Stephanie Parrish tallied her 13th goal of the year at the 16:37 mark and Leslie Matthews scored at the 17:41 mark for the big lead.

Woodson added the first of her two goals at the 27-minute mark to make it 5-0, and Kelsey Floyd headed in a perfect corner kick serve by Jordan McKenzie in the 33rd minute to close out the first-half scoring at 6-0.

Jill Walthall scored just over five minutes into play in the second half to make it 7-0 on an unassisted goal. Gina Goforth then poked in her 15th goal of the year in the 65th minute off another McKenzie assist to make it 8-0. Woodson added her second scored in the 68th minute off a K.C. MacEachern cross, followed by Rachel Walthall's two scores in the 71st and 77th minutes to close out the scoring.

For the game, CSU got off 35 shots and held the Hurricanes to only two scoring chances. Richardson collected eight saves in her first outing between the pipes, while Kelly Nimmo and Michelle Krengel each had a save for CSU to preserve the team's sixth straight shutout. CSU led 17-0 in corner kicks and committed eight fouls to two by GSW. There were no cards or ejections.

The Lady Cougars will close out the regular season at home on Saturday and will put both their PBC regular-season winning streak and their shutout streak on the line when Georgia College & State University visits for a 4 PM contest.