Women's soccer team earns first outright PBC title
A regular-season title on the line on the final day of the regular season provided an energetic atmosphere as the University of North Georgia women's soccer team channeled that energy to win the program's first outright Peach Belt Conference (PBC) regular-season title in program history. The Nighthawks took down Columbus State University (CSU) 2-1 on Oct. 29 at the UNG Soccer Field at Lynn Cottrell Park, taking their first lead with 50 seconds left.
The win marked the 13th of the season, as the Nighthawks won their fifth straight game and remained unbeaten at home in the 2023 regular season. Their victory also marks the transition into the postseason, as UNG (13-2-2, 8-01 PBC) will host the opening round of the PBC tournament at 4 p.m. Nov. 6 against eighth-seeded Georgia Southwestern.
The regular-season finale was a night to remember as UNG dethroned CSU at the top of PBC standings, needing an outright win to become champions with the Cougars having the tiebreaker. An early goal by Sarah Hungerford set the Cougars up with a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute. Katey Derkay would not allow North Georgia to go quietly, finding the equalizer moments later in the 28th minute off an assist by Alex Clark and Arielle Aronoff.
The 28th-minute goal was Derkay's seventh of the season as the Nighthawks continued to press, needing one more to put themselves at the top of the table. After the halftime break, CSU's defenders held firm, withstanding a barrage of attacks from UNG side as both squads lived up to the billing.
As time was running out on the Nighthawks' quest for a conference title, a foul inside the box made way for senior Maysoon El-Shami to step to the penalty spot with just under one minute remaining in the game. In the final moments of the regular season, El-Shami placed the penalty kick in the bottom left corner, sending the shot past the keeper and the Nighthawks to the top of the PBC standings. UNG would hold on for the remaining 50 seconds, completing a historic victory.
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