By: by Matthew Farhadi
Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Kennesaw State women’s soccer team got two goals from freshman
Alma Gardarsdottir to conclude its weekend at the Samford Soccer Tournament with a solid victory over their in-state rival, the Georgia Southern Eagles, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Bulldog Field.
The win improves the Owls to 3-3-1 for the season, while the loss drops the Eagles to 2-4-0 on the year.
Gardarsdottir, a midfielder, became the second Owl this season to have a multi-goal game, and head coach Rob King knows she came up big on Sunday.
“Great performance by Alma today," King commented following the match. "She is getting settled into a new position, and as each game goes by she is getting better and better and today was a great example of that.”
Kennesaw State didn’t waste much time in gaining the early momentum, as Gardarsdottir scored her second goal of the season in the sixth minute of play. Redshirt freshman
Tasia Williams served a ball down the left side to junior
Brittany Vining, who made an excellent cross to Gardarsdottir, and she beat the Georgia Southern goalkeeper on her left side to give the Owls a 1-0 lead.
Vining’s assist was the 16th of her career, moving her in a tie for tenth place on the Kennesaw State career assists list.
The Black and Gold dominated both sides of the ball in the first half. The Owls had multiple quality scoring opportunities as they recorded eight shots in the period, while the defense did a good job of keeping the Georgia Southern offense off balance.
Down 1-0 at the half, the Eagles scored the equalizer on a counter attack in the 50th minute on a goal by junior forward Sara Oland.
Gardarsdottir struck again in the 66th minute as she scored what would prove to be the game-winner, converting a penalty kick to give Kennesaw State a 2-1 victory.
The Owls outshot the Eagles 16-8, and also held an edge in corner kicks 6-0.
Senior goalkeeper
Staci Pugh was solid in the net for the Black and Gold on Sunday, allowing just one goal while making four saves on her way to the victory. Her four saves brings her to a total of 247 for her career, inching her ever-closer to Kennesaw State's all-time leader in saves, Jessica Marek, who ended her career with 264.
Kennesaw State begins conference play next weekend when they travel to Nashville, Tenn. to take on Lipscomb and Belmont, Friday and Sunday, respectively. Their match with Lipscomb on Friday is set to begin at 7 p.m., Central Daylight Time.
