By: by Jessica Steadman
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State found out its opponent in the semifinals of the 2009 Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Soccer Championships as the Jacksonville Dolphins will head north after stopping Mercer on penalty kicks in the first round of the tournament in Jacksonville on Friday evening.
The Owls (9-6-0, 7-3-0 A-Sun), who won the regular season championship for the third time in four years, will host the Dolphins (8-6-5, 5-1-5 A-Sun) for the second time in the postseason when the conference tournament moves to Kennesaw State beginning with Thursday's semifinals. The Dolphins defeated the Owls, 2-1 in overtime in their first-ever A-Sun tournament meeting in 2006.
“We are looking forward to playing Jacksonville,” said head coach Rob King. “They are a very talented squad who beat us earlier in the year.”
Jacksonville defeated the Owls, 3-1, in Jacksonville on Oct. 4 when the Owls were at the end of a streak that saw them lose two of three matches. However, since the loss, Kennesaw State has won four of five matches and have outscored their opponents by an 18-3 margin with three shutouts.
The win for the Dolphins ignited an eight-match undefeated streak in which they won three matches and have tied four others including avenging their only conference loss of the season, a 1-0 decsisison versus Mercer.
“We are a different team than we were a month ago and since the last time we played each other,” added King. “We are a bit healthier now and we are playing well so we'll go out and play hard and try to get to the championship on Saturday.”
Jacksonville and the Owls will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening at the KSU Soccer Complex after Belmont plays Stetson, who was a 2-1 winner of Campbell, at 4:00 p.m.
Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students and adults 65 and older. Kennesaw State students will have to pay the $4 rate and KSU faculty and staff will be charged $6 for admission. For more information on the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament, please visit the A-Sun website at
www.atlanticsunconference.org or to purchase tickets visit
http://ksuowls.ticketsxchange.com/index.asp
This year the A-Sun will be blogging live from the KSU Soccer Complex. To check it out visit the A-Sun Interactive Blog at:
http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=1f41045c5a
Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Soccer Championship
Thursday, Nov. 5
No. 2 Belmont vs. No. 3 Stetson, 4:00 p.m.
No. 1 Kennesaw State vs. No. 4 Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.
Championship Saturday, Nov. 7
Conference Championship Match, 1:00 p.m.
