One is a freshman adjusting to college life. The other is a senior preparing for life after college.

Despite the age disparity, freshman defender Bailey Powell and senior defender Megan Tomlinson combine to form a critical defensive cog for the Georgia women’s soccer team.

How critical? Try irreplaceable.

“[Megan] and Bailey have not come off the field in any game,” head coach Patrick Baker said. “We have nobody to replace them.”

In the first 10 games of the season, Powell and Tomlinson have partnered in the center of the Bulldog defense for every possible minute.

The duo’s dynamism and play have not gone unnoticed either. When the Bulldogs faced Duke and North Carolina in the Duke/Adidas Classic earlier in the season, both Powell and Tomlinson were named to the All-Tournament Team.

“It was great to be recognized against quality teams like Duke and North Carolina,” Tomlinson said.

In addition, Tomlinson has been named the Georgia Soccer Player of the Week twice this season, while Powell has earned Georgia Soccer Newcomer of the Week honors twice as well.

However, Powell is in a unique situation. Not many freshman defenders find themselves in a starting position in central defense, but that is what she has done.

“I’m excited to be playing in games,” Powell said. “I knew [coming into the season] that I wanted to play, and I knew that I was going to have to work really hard.”

Powell’s hard work has paid off in the form of a starting position in the heart of the Bulldog defense.

However, that is not her only attribute that has helped her.

“She’s come in willing to learn and listen,” Tomlinson said. “She’s got great potential. She’s not playing like a freshman at all.”

Tomlinson is a different story, though. Coming into the season, she was a known commodity, and the Bulldogs realized they had a natural leader.

“She’s just tremendous,” Baker said of Tomlinson. “More times than not, she’s our best player. There’s no doubt about it.”

Tomlinson is no stranger to success either. Last year, she helped lead the Bulldogs to a record-breaking 18-4-2 overall record.

As a freshman, Tomlinson was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. Last year, she received Georgia’s Most Valuable Player award and also garnered First-Team All-SEC honors.

“She’s a great leader out of the back,” Powell said. “She makes the players around her better.”

Despite the amount of attention both defenders are receiving for their play, Tomlinson maintains a team-first attitude towards the accolades.

“I think it’s great as a defender to be recognized, but we defend as a team,” Tomlinson said.