Lady Panthers improve to 8-2
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Kellie Higgins jumps over a Lady Wildcat to head the ball.

The Lady Panthers improved their overall record to 8-2 this week, picking up a few blowout victories in the process.

Union 10 - Banks 0

This game was never in doubt as the Lady Panthers jumped out to a big lead early, establishing a 7-0 lead by halftime. "We came out and played well," Head Coach Tim Hunter said. "We shot the ball well and as a result, got up big. It was a good bounce-back after the game with Fannin."

Jess Seabolt got the scoring started and ended up with two for the game. Leslie Bittenbinder also scored two and had an assist, while Mallory O'Steen scored one and had an assist, Mehgan Stepp scored her first of the season, and Kellie Higgins had a goal as well. Brittany Odom and Jordan West added assists. In the second half Lindsey Irvin and Rebecca Burke each scored the first varsity goals of their careers, and Ashton Jones added a goal.

Union 1 - Fannin 2

"We got down 2-0 in the first half and we were not playing well at all," Coach Hunter said. "In the second half we ended up really getting after it." Jess Seabolt scored early in the second half to cut the lead to one. "We had an opportunity to score to tie and take the lead, but just missed a couple of breakaways and didn't get it in the back of the net. But we played hard and that was the big thing, where we flat out just got after it in the second half. We fought back and had a shot to win it, but you just can't start off that slow against a good team like Fannin."

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Jess Seabolt and a Lady Wildcat swing for the ball.

Union 10 - Gilmer 0

Union built a 4-0 lead in the first half on two goals by Kellie Higgins, a goal by Mallory O'Steen, and a goal by Leslie Bittenbinder. "We didn't play particularly well in the first half, but in the second half we got rolling," the coach said. Scoring in the second half included Higgins adding a third goal, Bonnie Ann Sarrell scoring a goal, Bittenbinder netting her second goal, Jordan West scoring, and Jess Seabolt scoring a pair. "We just cranked it up and passed the ball well," Coach Hunter said. "We just did a lot of things I was pleased with."

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Union boots the corner kick into play.

Union 2 - Rabun 0

The Lady Panthers spent almost the entire game with the ball at Rabun's goal, in a game that seemed as if it could have been another 10-0 win had a few breaks gone the Lady Panthers way. "[Rabun] got in there and decided that they were going to pack it in and try to play for penalty kicks," Coach Hunter said. "They were hoping to score on a counter attack and send it to penalty kicks and they almost did. I kept telling the girls, if you just get a goal, you're going to get another one because they're going to have to come out." Union had missed a lot of opportunities until Leslie Bittenbinder put the ball in on a header. "Getting that goal right there was huge," the coach said. Crystal Mayfield added a second goal for the Lady Panthers after a Rabun player accidentally headed the shot back into her own net. "From there we just road it out," the coach said. "When you have a region shutout you just have to run with that."

Union 3 - Lumpkin 2

"For us [Lumpkin] is always a rivalry," Coach Hunter said. "For years, whoever won that game would usually go on to win the region. We lost to them twice last year so the girls had a little bit of a revenge factor there."

Union came out playing hard, but Lumpkin scored to take a 1-0 lead only four minutes into the game. "I was a little bit worried at that point," the coach said. "But that's when we really started stepping up and winning the ball."

Jess Seabolt scored on a leftfooted shot from 18 yards out and Jordan West tacked on another goal to give Union a 2-1 lead. Lumpkin tied the game with about 20 minutes left and from there on out the game was a dogfight until Mallory O'Steen scored with two minutes left, giving Union the win.

"Kristin Servis played incredibly well on defense for us," the coach said. "She was all over the field. She was clearly playing at another level. She was running the show on defense."

Union 4 - Oglethorpe 6

The team dropped its first region game of the season after the long 3-hour bus ride to Oglethorpe. "We weren't as ready to play as we needed to be," Coach Hunter said. "We gave them a two goal lead and suddenly you're having to play from behind, so they're comfortable and you're going to get their best game."

Union was also the victim of a couple of questionable calls on penalty kicks in the second half. "We played hard after that, but we didn't play particularly well."