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Score: Samford 5, Kennesaw State 2
Records: Samford (5-4-0), Kennesaw State (3-6-1)
Key Players: Maggie Gaughan (one goal, three shots, two shots on goal), Kim Fincher (one goal, two shots, one shot on goal), Cassidy Kemp (one assist, one shot), Carly Pressgrove (one assist, one shot, one shot on goal), Catherine McDuff (nine saves)
 
MARIETTA, Ga. – The Kennesaw State soccer team battled until the end, but it would not be enough as the Owls fell to Samford, 5-2, on a hot and humid Sunday (Sept. 20) afternoon at the Nuesoft Technologies Soccer Field on the KSU Marietta campus in Marietta, Ga.
 
The Bulldogs started off quickly with a goal in the third minute of the match as Kaitlyn Orman finished a cross from Abriella Argueta on the back post to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Minutes before the end of the first half, junior Maggie Gaughan evened things up with a score in the 43rd minute when classmate Cassidy Kemp laid the ball off to Gaughan on the right side, who beat Samford goalkeeper Anna Maddox to the near post. The tie did not last long as Hallie Georgi put the Bulldogs up 2-1 with just five seconds remaining in the period.
 
Out of intermission, the Owls came out firing as Fincher sent in the equalizer off of a through ball from freshman Carly Pressgrove just two minutes into the second half.
 
The score remained tied 2-2 over the next 17 minutes before Malcanisha Kelley netted the eventual game winner on the assist from Sara Smeltzer on a chip shot into the right corner of the goal.
 
The Bulldogs then added a pair of goals in the 69th and 80th minutes to earn the 5-2 win.
 
The Owls will continue their three-match homestand as they return to Fifth Third Bank Stadium to open Atlantic Sun Conference play against Lipscomb on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET in Kennesaw, Ga.
 
Quotable
"It was a tough one today in the heat. Samford is a strong, well-coached team who took Duke to overtime last week. I though the starting eleven versus eleven was an even match. We tired in the second half and simply did not have enough healthy players to compete toe-to-toe. We are expecting a couple players back for the start of conference play next week and are looking forward to hosting a couple of single-game home weekends."
- Kennesaw State Head Coach Rob King
 
Notes
- Junior Maggie Gaughan notched her second goal of the season in the first half of today's game, moving her career goal total to 11 and her career point total to 24.
- With her two goals and an assist in 2015, Gaughan owns five points to rank fourth for action players.
- Junior Kim Fincher scored her second goal of the weekend and her fourth of the season in the second half.
- With the score, Fincher has now registered 10 points, putting her one goal and two points behind team-leader Kemp for active players.
- Junior Cassidy Kemp added her second assist of the season on Gaughan's tally, pushing her team-leading (active players only) point total to 12.
- Freshman Carly Pressgrove notched her second helper of the season on Fincher's goal and now has two points in her rookie campaign.
- Junior Catherine McDuff earned third start of the season and played all 90 minutes for the Owls in goal, making a career-high nine saves in the match. It was also the most saves by any KSU goalkeeper this season.
 
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.
 
Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium is the home of women's soccer, women's lacrosse and football, which will play its inaugural season in 2015.