Goals from Simmons, Katz, Baccelli, Pennington, Jacobs push Liberty to third straight win
Greenville, SC (June 12, 2024)- The Greenville Liberty Soccer Club dominated Athens FC to earn a 7-0 win on Wednesday at Paladin Stadium. The decisive victory saw the Liberty score the most goals in a single match in club history. Greenville earned its third consecutive win and moved up to third in the South Central division with a 4-3-1 record.
Greenville quickly seized control over the winless Athens squad with a goal in the 19th minute, when Tara Katz was taken down in the box, earning the Liberty a penalty kick. Katz stepped up to the challenge and confidently buried the ball into the back of the net, giving her team the early lead.
Just three minutes later, Sarah Jacobs extended Liberty’s lead after a collision between Katz and Athens’ goalkeeper left the net unguarded. With an assist from Katz, Jacobs capitalized on the opportunity, sending the ball into the goal.
As the first half progressed, the Liberty continued to dominate the field, with Katz once again proving instrumental. In the 35th minute, Katz showcased her playmaking abilities by assisting Jaleah Simmons in finding the back of the net, further solidifying the Liberty’s lead at 3-0. In the 43rd minute, Simmons netted her second goal of the match, further extending the Liberty’s lead and leaving Athens FC struggling to find an answer.
The second half saw no let-up from the Liberty, as they continued to pile on the pressure. In the 56th minute, Perrin Pennington scored a deep goal to give the Liberty a commanding 5-0 lead. As the clock ticked on, Nya Baccelli made her mark on the game, scoring a brace to further cement the Liberty’s dominance.
“I think we finally found some answers to the recipe; creating a more cohesive unit with the formation that we’ve been playing and getting players more confident in their roles,” said Head Coach Julie Carlson. “I think some chemistry and player pairings that have matched up really well have created a lot of our success over the last few games.”
The record-breaking match was sponsored by BlueChoice HealthPlan. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, BlueChoice offers a variety of health and dental plans to serve the needs of South Carolinians. Learn more at www.BlueChoiceSC.com.
The Liberty will travel to Athens FC for a rematch on Saturday, beginning a three-match stretch on the road. They will return home on June 25th at 7:00 PM to conclude the 2024 home season. Tickets are on sale now.
