The Georgia Southern men’s soccer team continues its historic run, defeating the College of Charleston Cougars 2-1 at Bo Pitts Field on Tuesday night. The Eagles, now 4-0-3 on the season, delivered a gutsy performance against the 23rd-ranked Cougars, showing why this is shaping up to be their best season in program history.
The opening 45 minutes belonged to Charleston, who came into the match ranked #23 in the country. The Cougars pressed hard, recording six shots and dominating the corner kick count. Meanwhile, Georgia Southern struggled to find rhythm, taking only two shots and committing seven fouls. Despite Charleston’s control, the Eagles’ defense held strong, and the teams entered halftime tied at 0-0.
The second half saw a rejuvenated Eagles squad. Georgia Southern came out swinging, taking five shots in the first 22 minutes. The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute when Julien Seher found space and delivered a perfect pass to Harvey Sarajian. Sarajian, with a brilliant touch, created space and fired a clinical shot into the side netting, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Charleston wasn’t going down without a fight. Just five minutes after Georgia Southern’s opener, Charleston’s Leonardo D’Ambrosio stepped up after a foul just outside the box and delivered a stunning free kick that crashed off the crossbar and into the net to level the score at 1-1.
But the Eagles weren’t done. Less than two minutes later, Sarajian launched a long throw-in from the right corner, and Ryan Holmes rose above the defense to flick a header past the Cougar goalkeeper for the game-winning goal. Holmes, now with six goals in seven matches, continues to be a standout for the Eagles this season.
The Eagles’ defense held firm in the final minutes, with goalkeeper Nate Martinez making a crucial save in the 81st minute on a header from Charleston’s Ben Bagshaw. Georgia Southern weathered two final Charleston corner kicks to secure the hard-fought victory.
This victory keeps the Eagles undefeated through seven matches, marking the best start in program history. Head coach Lee Squires praised his squad’s resilience: “It was our first win in three games, so it’s nice to get back to winning ways. Charleston is a really good team, and to get that win is pretty special.”
The Eagles now turn their attention to their next challenge as they host the #10-ranked James Madison Dukes on Saturday, September 28th, at 7 PM. Expect a packed Bo Pitts Field as Georgia Southern looks to continue its incredible run.
