By: By Libby Knight
KENNESAW STATE VS JACKSONVILLE | A-SUN TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL
MATCH 19 | NOVEMBER 8, 2013
FORT MYERS, Fla. | FGCU SOCCER COMPLEX
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE BLOG | TWITTER | A-SUN TOURNAMENT WEBSITE
THE MATCH:
The No. 3 seed Kennesaw State soccer team returns to the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament semifinals for the first time since 2010 and will face No. 2 seed Jacksonville on Friday, Nov. 8 for a bid to Sunday's championship match. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (ET) at the FGCU Soccer Complex.
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com at the start of Friday's match.
LIVE VIDEO: ASun.TV will have the broadcast of the match starting at kickoff.
LIVE BLOG: A CoveritLive Blog conducted by Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
Libby Knight will be available for the match via KSUOwls.com starting 15 minutes prior to the contest.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State women's soccer team on Twitter @
KSUOwlsSoccer to receive updates throughout the match.
THE OPPONENT:
Jacksonville
Despite suffering a loss to the Owls in the second-to-last regular season match, the Dolphins (11-7) bounced back to defeat Mercer in the final match of the regular season to earn the No. 2 seed. JU is led by All-A-Sun First-Teamer Kaitlyn Bassett with 29 points on 13 goals and three assists. Sarah Sierra (10-7, 1.21 GAA, 21 GA, 68 saves) is in goal for the Dolphins. Jacksonville is 1-0-0 in neutral-site matches this season.
THE SERIES:
KSU leads the all-time series with Jacksonville, holding a 7-5-0 advantage over the Dolphins, including a 2-1 win over JU in Jacksonville in the teams' earlier meeting this season.
The Owls earned a 2-1 double-overtime win over Jacksonville on Friday, Oct. 25 at Southern Oak Stadium. KSU was led by freshmen forwards
Maggie Gaughan and
Shannon Driscoll, with Gaughan notching the game-tying score and Driscoll tallying the game-winning goal in the 104th minute of the match.
LAST TIME OUT:
With a goal in the fifth minute of the match freshman forward
Shannon Driscoll sent KSU to a 1-0 win over No. 6 seed Lipscomb in the first round of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament last Saturday (Nov. 2) night at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Just five minutes into the match, Driscoll gave the Owls an early 1-0 lead with her third goal of the season on redshirt-junior defender
Jewelia Strickland's corner kick service. Junior midfielder
Nicole Calder headed a shot towards the Lipscomb goal that was blocked to Driscoll, who finished into the back of the net for the game-winner.
NEXT UP:
The winner of Friday's match will earn a trip to the tournament championship match on Sunday, Nov. 10 at the FGCU Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (ET), with the match being aired on ESPN3.
In the second semifinal match on Friday, No. 1 seed and regular season champion Florida Gulf Coast takes on No. 4 seed Mercer at 7 p.m. The Bears tallied a 1-0 win over Stetson to advance to the semifinals last Saturday.
NEWS AND NOTES:
KSU in the A-Sun Tournament
The Owls own a 5-3-2 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. KSU earned the No. 3 seed for the first time in program history a season ago, but took a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to No. 6 seed North Florida in last season's first round match in Kennesaw.
Defense, Defense, Defense
The Kennesaw State defense continues to be the consistent force behind the Owls, ranking second in shutouts and goals allowed and third in goals-against average in the conference in overall action, as well as second in shutouts, third in goals allowed and fourth in goals-against average in league play.
Home Field Advantage
In the eight home matches in 2013, the Owls are averaging an attendance of 817 fans after ranking in the top 35 nationally and leading the A-Sun in average attendance (840) and total attendance (9,240) a season ago.
A-Sun Honorees
When the Atlantic Sun Conference announced its annual postseason awards list, the Kennesaw State soccer team had five members of the team earn honors. Junior defender
Alma Gardarsdottir led the way with a selection to the All-Atlantic Sun First-Team, while redshirt-junior forward
Katrina Frost, junior midfielder
Nicole Calder and redshirt-freshman defender
Brittney Reed earned All-Atlantic Sun Second-Team accolades. Reed also joined freshman goalkeeper
Olivia Sturdivant on the All-Atlantic Sun Freshman Team.
Frost Leads the Way
Frost, the team leader in points, was also named to the A-Sun Academic All-Conference Team. The Fayetteville, Ga., native owns five goals and two assists for 12 points on the season.
Driscoll to the Rescue
With her goal against Lipscomb, freshman forward
Shannon Driscoll now sits in a tie for third on the team with six points on three goals. The Woodstock, Ga., native has notched game-winning goals in two of KSU's last three matches.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State soccer news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and @
KSUOwlsSoccer or by liking Kennesaw State University on
Facebook.
- #GoKSUOwls -
