By: by Scott Lipsky
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State Owls women’s soccer team will unveil their new home on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. when they take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in an exhibition match at KSU Soccer Stadium.
The game will be the first of two exhibition matches for the Black and Gold prior to the regular season, which begins on Aug. 20 when they take on College of Charleston. Their second exhibition will come on Tuesday evening, when they host Georgia College and State University for Back to School Night, which will feature a tailgate with free food and Coca Cola products for all Kennesaw State students. For the first time, they will be playing in their brand-new, 8,300 stadium that is the biggest in women’s college soccer.
For the Owls, these two matches will go a long way towards allowing this new group of players to gel with one another. The Owls have six newcomers, and despite having 17 returnees, they lose three starters from last season’s Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions, including leading scorer Caitlin Dingle and A-Sun Defender of the Year Bridget Gaughan. Owls head coach Rob King is excited to see them out on the field together for the first time.
“We’re excited to finally be playing in a game on our home field in our new stadium after getting to watch the Atlanta Beat play there all summer,” Coach King, who is entering is ninth season as the only head in Owls history, said. “We can’t wait to get out there and play in front of our home fans.”
The Owls do have plenty returning from last season’s triumph. Senior goalkeeper Staci Pugh was named the A-Sun Tournament MVP after allowing just one goal in two games. Sophomore defender Jade Dempster provided a great deal of offense during her opening campaign for King’s squad, tallying five goals to finish second on the team behind Dingle.
Their incoming talent is prized, as well. Sophomore midfielder Sofia Blanco redshirted last season with the program after playing for one year at Clemson, while freshman Alma Gardarsdottir played for Iceland’s Under-19 and Under-17 national teams during her prep years.
Admission to all Owls soccer games are free for Kennesaw State students, faculty and staff. All tickets are general admission and are $6 for adults and $4 for children in eighth grade or younger.
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| Coach King answers a few questions about Saturday's exhibition match against Jacksonville State |
