After winning the Georgia Nike Invitational last weekend, the Georgia soccer team finally got some love in polls around the country, jumping from 18th to 15th in the NSCAA National Coaches Poll and catapulting 12 spots to 17th in the Soccer America poll.

While rankings are great, the players and coaches know that this weekend’s matches will determine where this squad really stands amongst the nation’s elite.

Tonight, the Bulldogs (4-0-1) look to finish their season-opening six-game home stand undefeated against a familiar in-state foe, as the Georgia State Panthers make their way into the UGA Soccer Stadium for a 7 o’clock kick-off.

Though the Bulldogs are 9-0-2 all-time against the Panthers, historically the rivalry has been a hotly contested one, with Georgia winning their last meeting 1-0 in 2007. Georgia head coach Patrick Baker knows tonight’s game will be a tight one, as the Panthers come to Athens undefeated at 4-0-0 and off to one of their best starts in program history.

“They’re starting a lot of young players, they’ve had a great start to their season and they’re undefeated,” said Baker. “You know, they’re going to come in loose and with nothing really to lose.”

The Panthers are a side familiar with the Bulldog’s personnel and system, as Georgia State head coach Domenic Martelli has been a regular at Georgia’s summer camps in years past.

“Coach Martelli is one of our closest friends in the college ranks. He works just about every week of our summer camp and he knows all of our players,” said Baker. “He might as well be another coach on staff.”

That could pose a challenge to the team’s unblemished home mark, but after losing four of their first five home games last season, the players know the importance of taking full advantage of their home turf.

“To have that record that we do at home says a lot, and people will be scared in the future to come to Athens and play,” said midfielder Lindsay Stein.

Sunday the team will play its first road match, against UNC-Charlotte.