By: By Libby Knight
KENNESAW STATE AT CAROLINA NIKE CLASSIC
VS. NO. 12 DUKE, AT NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA
MATCHES 3-4 | AUGUST 30 & SEPTEMBER 1, 2013
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. | FETZER FIELD (5,700)
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | DUKE LIVE BLOG | UNC LIVE BLOG | UNC LIVE VIDEO
THE MATCHES:
The Kennesaw State soccer team is set to face the nation’s best when it travels to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Carolina Nike Classic. The Owls open the tournament on Friday, August 30, for a 2:30 p.m. (ET) neutral-site match against No. 12 Duke at Fetzer Field.
KSU (1-1-0) then gets a chance of a lifetime on Sunday, September 1, when the Owls go toe-to-toe with tournament host, 2012 national champion and current No. 1 North Carolina in the finale of the Classic. Kick off against the Tar Heels is set for 3 p.m.
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com at the start of each match.
LIVE VIDEO: Live video of the Owls’ match against No. 1 UNC will be available from KSUOwls.com at the start of the match.
LIVE BLOG: A CoveritLive Blog conducted by Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
Libby Knight will be available for both matches via KSUOwls.com starting 15 minutes prior to each match.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State women’s soccer team on Twitter @
KSUOwlsSoccer to receive updates through both matches.
THE OPPONENTS:
No. 12 Duke (1-1-0), a national quarterfinalist in 2012, split its opening weekend games with a win over Texas A&M, 1-0, before falling to South Carolina by the same score. Offensively, the Blue Devils are led by redshirt senior Kim DeCesare, who posted Duke’s lone goal of the season in its victory over A&M, and Laura Weinberg, who led the Blue Devils with a school-record 44 points (16 goals, 12 assists) a season ago.
After bringing home its 22nd national championship last season, No. 1 North Carolina (2-0-0) begins the 2013 season as the top team in the nation. UNC opened with a pair of wins over Santa Clara, 2-0, and VCU, 4-0, over the weekend. The Tar Heels return a veteran squad from its national championship team with 22 letter winners and eight starters from the 2012 NCAA championship game, including preseason All-America Team honorees Crystal Dunn and Kealia Ohai. Dunn and Ohai were both also named to the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List for 2013, with Dunn previously winning the Hermann Trophy in 2012.
THE SERIES:
KSU currently trails the all-time series with both Duke and North Carolina, 0-1-0, after playing both teams in the 2004 edition of the Carolina Nike Classic. The Owls fell 1-0 to the Blue Devils on Sept. 3, 2004 in Chapel Hill, N.C., before dropping another 1-0 decision to UNC on Sept. 5, 2004.
The 2004 Kennesaw State-North Carolina match-up was also a battle of reigning national champions as KSU was coming off of its 2003 NCAA Division II national championship and UNC had previously won the 2003 NCAA Division I national championship.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Owls split its opening weekend matches, earning the first win of the 2013 with a 1-0 victory over Tennessee Tech on Friday night. Redshirt-freshman
Brittney Reed broke the game’s scoreless tie 10 minutes into the second half with a bullet to the lower left corner of the goal from 25 yards out. KSU then dropped a hard-fought battle with Oklahoma, 2-0, on Sunday.
NEXT UP:
The five-match road trip to start the season concludes on Friday, Sept. 6, as Kennesaw State travels the short distance to Atlanta for a 7 p.m., contest against rival Georgia State at the GSU Soccer Field.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Outshooting the Competition
Through its first two matches of the season, KSU has outshot its opponent 18 to 16, including a 10 to eight advantage on shots on goal. The Owls had a season-high 15 shots against Tennessee Tech, while holding the Golden Eagles to only four shots.
Corner Kick Winners
The Owls also hold a 10 to seven advantage on corner kicks, earning a season-high seven against TTU.
Offensive Leaders
Reed tallied the Owls’ lone points on the season with a game-winning goal against Tennessee Tech on Friday. Freshman midfielder
Suzanne Arafa leads KSU with five shots, inclduing two on frame.
Playing 90
Redshirt-junior
Alma Gardarsdottir and sophomore
Hannah Churchill each played every minute over the weekend and lead the team in minutes played with a perfect 180.
Notable Returners
Individually, the Owls return 12 letter winners from the 2012 squad, including eight starters. Notable returnees include 2012 All A-Sun First-Team
Katrina Frost, Second-Team selections
Jewelia Strickland and
Kelsey Barr, and All-Freshman Team honoree
Danielle Gray.
Frost Leading the Way
Frost leads the Atlantic Sun in career points (47) and goals (21). Frost is the first A-Sun women’s soccer student-athlete to tally back-to-back double-digit goal seasons since Stetson’s Tessa Gavilsky (2008, 09).
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.
Fans are reminded that admission to all 2013 home soccer contests are free throughout the year.
- #GoKSUOwls -
