Valdosta State women’s soccer team opened conference play against the Union Bulldogs and neither team was able to walk away a victor in a 2-2 double overtime tie Friday night.

The Blazers had plenty of chances to win the game as they outshot the Bulldogs 14-6.

“We didn’t show up first half,” Head Coach Mel Heinz said. “We showed up just passing it around and playing lackadaisical, coming out as if we were going to win just because we showed up on the field.”

Coach Heinz believes that the game could have had a different result if her girls played their best.

“We were slow to the ball, not moving off of the ball, not going hard on the ball,” Coach Heinz said. “We could have made this game different by just showing up and playing strong, like we have and how we are capable, in the first half and it would have been fine.”

Right before halftime, the Blazers got a goal from junior Zahimara Fantauzzi.

“We stepped up (in the second half) but we still didn’t full heartedly step up,” Coach Heinz said. “You can’t do that to any team in our conference.”

The second goal for the Blazers was scored by sophomore Erin Hill in the 51^st minute.

“When the ball was thrown in to me, I turned and I was hearing people say, ‘Shoot, shoot, shoot,’ and I looked up and saw that the top right corner was open so (I went for it),” Hill said.

Hill and the Blazers watched the 2-0 lead disappear.

“It’s frustrating to go from a big high down to a low, but you just have to get your head around and come back hungry,” Hill said. “You can’t get too down about it ‘cause if you do you won’t get a goal back.”

Union played tight defense all game and VSU had trouble penetrating the Bulldog defense.

“We still have to find a way,” Coach Heinz said. “When we do find a way, we have to make sure we keep it tight in the back and don’t let them score on us. I think that since we were pounding on them so much that it let us relax on the defensive side of things and that’s how we got exposed.”

In the 70^th minute, the Blazers were called for a penalty that led to Union’s game-tying penalty kick goal.

“I think we worked hard (after the goal) but we didn’t work hard,” Coach Heinz said. “The players had to toughen up and suck it up (to get the momentum back).”

VSU finished with seven corner kicks total in the game to the Bulldogs’ three yet were unable to pull away.

“I think it was how we started was what caused how we ended,” Coach Heinz said.

Blazers take on other conference rival Alabama Huntsville on Sunday.

This article was written by Alex Tostado.