Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: Georgia Southern capped of a historic Southern Conference Tournament

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8th-seeded GSU women claim SoCon crown

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — Georgia Southern capped of a historic Southern Conference Tournament run on Sunday afternoon by clinching the Eagles’ first league title and a trip to the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The eighth-seeded Eagles won the league title in a penalty kick shootout, 5-4, over third-seeded Furman after the match was drawn, 0-0. Sydnie Van Curen netted the winning spot kick after 110 minutes of scoreless regulation and overtime play.

In the penalty shootout the first three kick takers made their attempts to make it 3-3 through as many rounds. McKenna Storey missed her attempt as did Furman in the fourth round. Zoe Van Gorder took Georgia Southern’s fifth attempt and made her penalty, as did Furman to send the match to a sixth round. Cori Dulmage had her attempt saved, but a miss by Furman in that round gave Van Curen a shot. She converted her attempt, while a miss off the crossbar by Furman gave the Eagles their first SoCon Championship in program history.

The Eagles (10-7-5) became the first eighth-seeded team to reach the SoCon Tournament Final in league history. The previous low seed to reach the final was Davidson in 2009, reaching the final as the fourth seed in the four-team tournament.

Knee injury to sideline Georgia’s WR Brown

ATLANTA — Georgia receiver Marlon Brown, who is tied for the team lead in catches, will miss the remainder of the season after hurting his left knee in Saturday night’s win over Mississippi.

Coach Mark Richt said Sunday Brown tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee. The injury will end the senior’s college career.

Brown and another senior, Tavarres King, share the lead with 27 catches. Brown has four touchdown catches.

The injury comes one month after another top receiver, Michael Bennett, hurt his right knee in practice, ending his season.

Brown had three catches for 113 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown, in Georgia’s 37-10 win over Ole Miss.

Richt says Rhett McGowan and Justin Scott-Wesley could see more playing time behind King, Malcolm Mitchell, Rantavious Wooten and Chris Conley.