By: by Kennesaw State Sports Information Department
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Owls will look for their second straight win on Sunday afternoon as they host No. 17-ranked Minnesota at 1:00 p.m. at the KSU Soccer Complex.
The match will Kennesaw State’s first-ever meeting versus a Big Ten opponent and will also mark the first time in the KSU Division I era that a nationally-ranked squad will visit the home of the Owls.
"Minnesota is a Top 15, Top 20 team,” said Kennesaw State head coach Rob King. “They're the type of team that can really expose us, so we have to be sure that we're really organized on defense and that we put forth a good effort throughout the match."
The Golden Gophers (1-1) are coming off a, 2-0, loss to No. 16-ranked Georgia on Friday in which the Bulldogs scored a pair of second half goals to snap Minnesota’s 12-match non-conference winning streak.
The Owls (1-1) are fresh off their first win of the season, a 2-0 win over Francis Marion in which received a pair of second half goals from Alyssa Mahan in the come-from-behind victory.
Minnesota will be the seventh nationally-ranked opponent Kennesaw State has faced in its five-year Division I history as they join North Carolina (2004), Duke (2004), Florida (2006), Florida State (2007), Portland (2008) and Georgia last weekend.
Kennesaw State carries an 11-match, non-conference, home winning streak into Sunday’s meeting with the Golden Gophers. The streak dates back to the 2005 regular season finale, a 6-3 victory over Francis Marion.
Sunday afternoon's match will be Sundae Funday, where all fans can create their own ice cream sundae after the match. In addition, the match is also KSU Women's Soccer Camp Reunion Day and YMCA Strikers Day.
