By: by Matthew Farhadi
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State women’s soccer team lost its first ever home match at KSU Soccer Stadium in heartbreaking fashion on Sunday afternoon. The Owls let in the game-winning goal in the final minute of the match to fall to Wyoming, 2-1.
The win improves the Cowgirls to 3-3 for the season, while the loss drops the Owls to 2-2-1 on the year.
With the game tied heading into the final minute of the match, Wyoming’s Nahiomy Ortiz sent a cross into the box that was headed by Jenny Johnson just over the outstretched arms of Kennesaw State goalkeeper
Melissa Hutto, and into the back of the net to give the Cowgirls the win.
Hutto took the loss as she made 10 saves in her first career collegiate start in goal for the Owls.
Hutto was tested early on as Wyoming had a player break through the Kennesaw State defense on a through ball. However, she alertly charged forward to cut off the angles and made a diving save to keep the game scoreless.
The Owls opened the scoring in the 25th minute on
Brittany Vining’s first goal of the season.
Alyssa Mahan started it off hitting a cross into the box that was knocked down by
Alma Gardarsdottir. Gardarsdottir deflected the ball right to Vining who beat the Wyoming goalkeeper Courtney Merkle on her right side to take a 1-0 lead.
Just as soon as the Black and Gold seemed to finish celebrating the goal Wyoming came right back to tie the game back up at 1-1. Only 33 seconds after the Kennesaw State goal, Wyoming’s Ellen McCormick found the ball land right at her feet in a big melee in front of the net and managed to chip it in to tie the game.
Kennesaw State was outshot 19-7 in a very physical match that featured a combined 20 fouls.
The loss also represents a first for Kennesaw State women’s soccer since switching over to Division I in 2004. The Black and Gold have never played three straight matches in the same season without recording a win until their most recent three-game stretch in which they have gone 0-2-1.
Head Coach
Rob King talked about the Owls performance, and stressed that they have a lot to work on this week at practice.
“Letting up a goal that late is really tough to overcome, but overall I thought our performance was just ok. We made a formation change at halftime to try to get better pressure on the ball in the second half, and unfortunately it didn’t end up the way we would have liked. We have several things that we are going to work on in practice this week so we can get prepared for next weekend.”
Next up for the Owls they will travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take part in the Samford Soccer Tournament. Kennesaw State will begin the tournament against host Samford on Friday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m.
