Barnesville, Ga. - Gordon State Soccer made their long-awaited debut for the 2020-2021 season. Seven months after the season was to have originally begun, the Highlanders played host to the Point University (Ga.) reserve team in a preseason friendly here Monday night.
The Highlanders will count on a pair of goalkeepers, freshman Mallory McCarthney (Griffin, Ga. / Spalding HS) and sophomore Becca Doyle (Acworth, Ga. / Harrison HS) to stymie their opponents this season.
In front of this duo, Gordon State will count on sophomore Jasmine O'Hara (Hollywood, Fla. / Cooper City HS) and a handful of freshmen in Haley Reid (Griffin, Ga. / Spalding HS), Lizzy Grant (Sharpsburg, Ga. / North Gate HS), Lourdes Tompkins (Stephens, Ga. / Oglethorpe Co. HS) and Payton Asher (Cape Coral, Fla. / Ida S. Baker HS) to anchor the defense.
Stephanie Hahn (Dallas, Ga. / Paulding Co. HS) will be missed as she sits out the season due to injury.
Freshmen Aniah Rasool (Ruskin, Fla. / Lennard HS), Audrey Pavik (Kennesaw, Ga. / Harrison HS), Molly Worst (Brooks, Ga. / Whitewater HS), Sara Schultz (Villa Rica, Ga. / Alexander HS) and sophomores Isabella Reyes (Port Charlotte, Fla. / Port Charlotte HS) and Keerston Hambrick will provide the balance for the midfield as the Highlanders look to take control of their games.
The attack will flow through a group of dynamic playmakers that includes sophomore Gabriela Arellano (Miami, Fla. / John A. Ferguson Sr. HS) and freshmen Bailey Arnold (Bethlehem, Ga. / Apalachee HS), Emma Lovell,(Tavernier, Fla. / Coral Shores HS), Madison Schmucker, (Cape Coral, Fla. / Ida S. Baker HS) and Sophia Kotopka (Riverview, Fla. / East Bay HS).
The Highlanders begin the defense of their Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) championship when they open regular season play Friday, April 2 hosting Andrew College at 6 p.m. ET.
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The Gordon State College Department of Athletics is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA). Gordon State College competes in NJCAA Division I in the sports of Women's Soccer (Fall), Men's Basketball (Fall/Spring), Softball (Spring) and Baseball (Spring). Gordon State College is located in Barnesville, Ga., approximately 60 miles south of Atlanta and 35 miles northwest of Macon. Gordon State College offers both two-year and four-year degree programs and believes that our Athletics program provides student-athletes with the opportunity to be successful academically, athletically and in life after their time as a Highlander. Follow GSC Athletics at www.gscathletics.com, on Facebook (@Gordon State Highlanders) and Twitter (@state_ad / GordonStateAD). You can also follow Gordon State College on Facebook (@GordonStateCollege #GSCHighlandersForward), Twitter (@GordonState) and Instagram (gordon_state).