By: by Matthew Farhadi
Game Notes
Live Stats
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State women’s soccer team begins conference play this weekend, and for the second time in three years they are coming in as the defending Atlantic Sun champions. This means that the Owls will be getting opposing teams best efforts, and they will be competing in front of the toughest crowds, night after night starting Friday evening against Lipscomb.
Head Coach Rob King knows the Owls have a target on their back, and he is anxious to see how his team will take on the challenge.
“We can't wait for conference play to begin. I'm pleased to say that as defending A-Sun Champions and the coaches’ preseason pick to win the conference tournament again, we find ourselves in a familiar position,” King said. “We know we have a target on us, and every team that we play views the Kennesaw State game with added significance. There is greater parity in the A-Sun now more than ever and from top to bottom every game will be a fight. We're ready for the challenge.”
Coming into this season, the Black and Gold have been one of the most consistent and dominant programs in the league since joining the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2005. The Owls have accumulated 39 conference wins in that time span, which is an average of just below eight league victories per season. The 39 wins are the most conference victories by any team since 2005, with in-state rival Mercer coming in second with 29 A-Sun wins.
Kennesaw State (3-3-1) is coming off a solid weekend in which they went 1-1 in the Samford Soccer Tournament in Birmingham, Ala. The Black and Gold fought hard in a, 2-0, loss against the Samford Bulldogs last Friday night. On Sunday afternoon, the Owls rebounded nicely closing out the tournament with a, 2-1, win over in-state rival Georgia Southern.
Freshman
Alma Gardarsdottir scored both goals in the win becoming the second Owl to have a multi-goal game this season, junior
Lauren Ruffini did it on Aug. 22 against Alabama A&M. Junior
Brittany Vining also moved into a tie for tenth place on the all-time Kennesaw State assist list with 16 for her career.
Lipscomb (4-4) was picked to finish in tenth in the A-Sun Preseason Poll and are coming off a 4-15 record last season. Under fourth-year head coach Jon Ireland, the Lady Bisons return eight starters, including leading scorer, senior forward Kate Spellman. Lipscomb is coming off a, 3-0, win over The Citadel on Sunday evening.
Kennesaw State is 4-1 all-time against Lipscomb, and is undefeated in conference opening games going 3-0-2.
The Black and Gold are now ready for the challenge, and they are set to take it all on in stride beginning on Friday night against Lipscomb.
The match is scheduled for a kickoff of 6 p.m. eastern time and 5 p.m. central time.
