Putnam County’s girls soccer team is nearing the end of its 2026 season, with one game remaining in the regular season.
The Lady War Eagles recently traveled to Greene County, where they earned a hard-fought overtime victory after a 2-2 tie at the end of regulation.
Head coach Philip Abney said his team has faced a number of challenges throughout the season, including a demanding schedule filled with strong opponents. Despite some setbacks, he believes the team is continuing to grow.
“We’ve played a lot of tough teams this season. We opened with Franklin County and have Lamar County and Social Circle in our region, both of which are ranked in the top 10 in the state,” Abney said. “We’ve continued to improve, and the team is really buying into the process.”
Abney added that the Lady War Eagles have been on a strong run in recent weeks, and he hopes they can carry that momentum into the postseason.
During its March 31 matchup with Greene County, Putnam County found itself in a backand- forth battle. After taking an early lead, the Lady War Eagles allowed a quick response before Greene County opened the second half with a go-ahead goal.
Putnam County battled for much of the half before finding the equalizer midway through the period.
Both teams had opportunities late in regulation, but neither could break the tie, sending the game into overtime tied at 2-2.
Putnam County eventually secured the win in overtime when senior Luisana Araque found the back of the net following a Greene County miss.
“It was a close game. We scored first, and they responded about two minutes later. They opened up the second half with a score, and we took about 30 minutes fighting back and forth to get the equalizer,” Abney said. “I thought we had a couple of chances at the end, but it was an even match — just constant back and forth the whole time.”
Abney credited his senior goalkeeper, Alexis Hernadez, as a key piece in keeping the team competitive in tight matches. He also highlighted the impact of freshman striker Giselle Chavez, who has emerged as one of the team’s top scoring threats.
“Alexis has definitely been an anchor for the team, giving us that experience and keeping games close,” Abney said. “Giselle has been a standout freshman, and I believe she has about 10 goals this season. She’s really standing out as a first-year player and helping us a lot.”
Abney also pointed to an earlier loss to Jasper County as a learning moment that helped prepare his team for the Greene County win.
“We actually lost a game just like this to Jasper. We were up 1-0, they equalized with about 10 minutes left, and we ended up giving up a goal at the end,” Abney said. “I think that definitely helped them in this game — just to calm down and keep the nerves in check. I’m proud of them.”
With one game left before the playoffs, Abney hopes his team continues to build on its recent success.
“I just hope they continue to play and execute, and maybe finish a couple more of the opportunities we have,” he said. “We’re playing as a team, and with that, a lot of things can happen.”