By: by Jessica Steadman
AUBURN, Ala. – After tying the game at one in the second half, the Kennesaw State women’s soccer team allowed Auburn to score two more second half goals, falling to the Tigers, 3-1, on Friday night at the Auburn Soccer Stadium.
Auburn’s (2-0-2) offense started off strong, getting off the first three shots of the game in the first nine minutes of action. The Owls (1-3-0) had their first shot in the 10th minute from Brittany Vining, resulting in a save from AU keeper, Amy Howard.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute when Jenni Prescott scored on a cross from the right side through the box into the lower left corner of the net, assisted by Katy Frierson. Kennesaw State keeper and this week’s Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Week, Staci Pugh, kept the Owls deficit at one in the final minutes of the half when Prescott tried to score another goal, but was stopped by Pugh, her sixth save of the half.
Redshirt senior Maylee Attin-Johnson took the first shot of the second half after sophomore Alyssa Mahan sailed a corner kick into the box, but Attin-Johnson’s shot sailed wide. Freshman Jade Dempster scored her first collegiate goal and put the Owls on the board, tying the game at one a piece off a corner kick from Mahan from the left side in the 56th minute.
Auburn would not let the Owls celebrate for long when Stephanie Fransoso scored her first goal of the season just four minutes later in the 60th minute when Heather Havron passed a ball to Fransoso from six yards out to put the Tigers up 2-1.
The Owls offense keep the pressure on Auburn with Caitlin Dingle, Kristin Marietta, Vining and Savannah Duet all taking shots within three minutes of each other, but could not get past the pesky Auburn defense and keeper, Howard.
The Tigers final goal came in the 85th minute when King scored her second goal of the year on a penalty kick after the Owls committed a foul with just five minutes left in the game. Auburn out-shot the Black and Gold, 22-9, while Pugh had nine saves in the game.
The Owls begin Atlantic Sun Conference play next weekend when they travel to Macon, Ga. to take on rival Mercer on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:00 p.m.
