Nov. 3, 2006
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Owls dominated Jacksonville for more than 88 minutes on Friday night and were less than two minutes away from an appearance in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship match before things took a dramatic and tragic turn.
The Dolphins (10-9-1) scored a goal in the 89th minute and then tallied the game-winner just 46 seconds into overtime to shock the top-seeded Owls and end Kennesaw State's shot at the A-Sun tournament title and an automatic bid to the national tournament.
The Owls (13-2-2) dominated the match throughout the evening and struck first as A-Sun Player of the Year Laura Tucker scored in the 28th minute on a six-yard tap off a cross from Caitlin Dingle.
Dingle controlled the ball and ran by a Jacksonville defender into the
corner where she sent a pass through the 18-yard box where Tucker connected on the one-timer for the match's first score.
Kennesaw State had many more opportunities in the first half including a header that hit the crossbar as they outshot Jacksonville 19-2 in the first half.
After intermission, the second stanza began with another flurry of shots by the Owls. But Jacksonville goalkeeper Michelle Kmiotek kept her teammates in the match by stopping 22 shots in the match including five shots in the opening minutes of the second half.
The Kennesaw State Owls dominance continued as they had 16 second half shots and six corner kicks. However, nothing found the back of the net until Jacksonville stunned the partisan KSU crowd late in the match.
In the 89th minute, after a mad scramble in the front of the Owls goal, Meagan Surrency tapped in a loose ball from six yards out to tie the match and send the affair into overtime.
Just 46 seconds into the first overtime, Emilie Howland took a cross from Angela Hulse and fired the game-winner to the lower left corner past a diving Staci Pugh.
Kennesaw State (13-2-2), in their first their first year of postseason eligibility since joining the A-Sun last season, will have to receive an at-large bid if they are to make the program's first NCAA Division I National Tournament appearance.
The Owls out shot Jacksonville 35-6 in the match and had a 13-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Kennesaw State will find out whether or not they receive a bid on Monday afternoon when the tournament field is announced.
