CARROLLTON, Ga.- The stage is set for a thrilling Homecoming Saturday at University Soccer Field, as the University of West Georgia (4-13-1, 2-6-1 ASUN) hosts North Florida (7-8-3, 5-3-1 ASUN) in their regular season finale at 12 p.m. in Carrollton.
For the Wolves, the stakes couldn't be higher. UWG enters the weekend tied with Queens in the ASUN standings at seven points, with Queens currently holding the tiebreaker. That means Saturday's matchup is a must win for West Georgia as they look to punch their ticket to the ASUN Tournament for the first time in the Division I era under head coach Mallory Sayre.
The Wolves are coming off a 2-0 battle against Jacksonville, where freshman goalkeeper Emily Sanabria reached the 100 save milestone, becoming the first UWG freshman since 2018 to do so. Sanabria is now tied for third in single season saves in program history with 103 stops and a .752 save percentage.
Offensively, UWG has produced offense from a balanced attack led by Kaylen Brown and Noemi Casique, who each have three goals on the season. Brown has been a steady offensive threat, while Casique brings pace and energy that has kept opposing defenses on their heels.
Rachel Higgins and Campbell Taylor have also provided valuable production, with Higgins scoring twice and Taylor adding a goal and two assists. Taylor leads the Wolves in total shots with 33, and continues to create opportunities for the offense.
On the other side, North Florida rides into Carrollton with momentum after a 2-1 victory against Queens on Wednesday. Senior midfielder Chloe Lynch scored in her second consecutive match, while redshirt junior Isabella Pontieri netted her eighth goal and fifth game winner of the season. The Ospreys dominated possession and outshot Queens 18-8, holding their opponent to just one shot on goal in a dominant performance.
Saturday's Homecoming matchup will be extremely competitive. North Florida is fighting to secure postseason positioning, and West Georgia is fighting to make history.
Kickoff is set for 12 p.m., and fans are encouraged to come early, and help push the Wolves toward their first ASUN postseason berth in their final regular season match at University Soccer Field.
