From STAFF REPORTS

The Georgia Southwestern State University Hurricanes and Lady Hurricanes kicked off their respective soccer seasons on Sept. 1, with the ‘Canes hosting Newberry College and the Lady ‘Canes traveling to LaGrange to take on LaGrange College.
The Lady Hurricanes started off the season in style, with a 4-0 victory over the Lady Panthers while the Hurricanes were not so lucky, with the team suffering a 3-1 defeat to the Wolves.
In women’s action, Shatyriah Crawford scored the Lady ‘Canes first goal of the season with less than three minutes remaining in the first half to take a one goal lead heading into the second.
Ella Hawkins, GSW’s leading goal scorer from the 2015 season, scored goals number two and three for the Lady ‘Canes in the 69th and 73rd minutes of the game.
GSW’s defense played tough and held off the Panthers only allowing two shots in the second half.
With 2:44 remaining in the game, Khayla Owens put one past the Panther’s keeper to give GSW a four-goal win over LaGrange.
Elyse Gowen played the first 45 minutes between the pipes and faced two shots. Chelsee Wright (1-0) played the second half and faced one shot.
GSW finished with 15 shots, 11 of which were on goal. LaGrange had five shots, three on goal. Crawford and Hawkins made up ten of GSW’s goals, each having five.
In the Hurricanes’ match-up, GSW finished with a 9-7 shots on goal advantage and a 5-2 edge in corner kicks, but it was the Wolves who came up with the big plays.
Newberry wasted little punching in the first score as Mark Hook lofted a pass into the middle of the box in third minute that Claus Lehland headed perfectly into the top left corner of the goal.
The Wolves extended their lead to two goals in the 30th minute when Davis Brian launched a high, floating ball straight on from 35 yards out that caught the Hurricanes off guard and dropped in for the score.
GSW cut the deficit in half at the 38:32 mark when junior, Trevor Dempsey, converted a penalty kick.
The Hurricanes trailed 2-1 at the halftime break.
Sterling Wendt scored the final goal of the match in the 75th minute for Newberry when he closed in on a hard ricochet off the right post and punched in the goal as GSW junior goalkeeper, Joshua Swift, had extended moments earlier to stop the header off the post.
Junior, Silvio Polly, led the GSW offense with seven shots in the match, three attempts on goal. Dempsey and freshman Dylan Marshall added three shots apiece. The Hurricanes fired 20 shots in the contest. Newberry took 15.
Swift turned away four shots. Brad Dixon stopped eight for the Wolves.
The Lady Hurricanes are on the road on Sept. 7 to face Emmanuel in a non-conference match at 6:30 p.m. The Hurricanes return to action on Sept. 7 when they travel to Point University for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match.