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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After defeating a Southeastern Conference foe for the first time in school history earlier in the season, the Kennesaw State soccer team added another first for the program with a dramatic 2-1 win over Samford on Friday at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.
After going four matches without a score, Freshman
Danielle Gray (Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh HS) changed that in the fourth minute of the match, notching her fifth goal of the season to give Kennesaw State (4-4-0) an early 1-0 lead.
Redshirt-sophomore
Katrina Frost (Fayetteville, Ga./South Carolina), positioned just to the left of the top of the box, slotted a pass through the middle of the box to Gray on the left side of the goal. The freshman then ran onto to the ball and finished into the right-hand side netting of the goal.
Just 17 minutes later Owls added to their lead as redshirt-sophomore
Jewelia Strickland (Fayetteville, Ga./Alabama) tallied her first goal of the season and the third of her career on a free kick from just past half field on the left flank. Strickland sent in a dangerous ball that flew over both KSU and Samford players challenging for the ball, took a hard bounce just in front of Bulldog goalkeeper Jessica Perry and went over her head into the back of the net for the 2-0 lead.
Samford (3-4-0) made things interesting in the second half with heavy pressure on the KSU backline and senior goalkeeper
Melissa Hutto (Pensacola, Fla./South Alabama), outshooting the visitors 18 to two in the period, but only totaling four on goal. The Bulldogs intensity paid off when Samford was awarded a penalty kick eight minutes into the second period, but Jordan Johnson’s strike hit off the right post and the ensuing shot was high over the goal.
The Bulldogs did close the gap to 2-1 in the 74th minute when Amanda Abbott was played in behind the Owl defense and scored on a chip shot from 10-yards out.
After the score Kennesaw State buckled down with Hutto making key saves down the stretch, bending but not breaking in the second half to secure the fourth win of the season.
For the match Samford outshot the Owls 25-6, but only had 11 of those 25 shots on frame. KSU tallied three shots on goal. Strickland and sophomore Julie Nelson (Marietta, Ga./Hillgrove HS) led the Owl offense with two shots each, including one shot on goal. Brittany Hoffman registered eight shots, with three on goal, for the Bulldogs.
Samford earned eight corners in the loss, while KSU had one. Both teams combined for 17 fouls.
Hutto notched a season-high 10 saves in the win, while Perry tallied one.
The Owls next return to KSU Stadium for a match against UT Martin to close out the non-conference slate on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 1 p.m.
Keep up with Owls soccer this year by following KSU on Twitter at @
KSUOwlNation and @
ksuOWLSsoccer, or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on
Facebook.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
