Sunday, March 10
1:00 p.m. – Kennesaw State (2-3) vs New Hampshire (3-2)
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Notes: KSU | New Hampshire

The Opening Draw
» The Kennesaw State women's lacrosse team continues its homestand Sunday afternoon, taking on New Hampshire in the first ever meeting between the two programs.
» KSU looks to make it three in a row after a dominant 21-14 victory over St. Bonaventure. 10 Owls recorded a goal against the Bonnies, four with three or more, as KSU's 21 goals is tied for the fifth-most all-time in a single-game. Abby Squires (5), Marissa Gore (3) and Anna Giulitto (3) all set or tied their career-highs for goals scored.
» Marissa Gore logged her fourth straight game with at least five draw controls, setting a career-high for the second straight game with eight against SBU. Gore is currently ranked third in the ASUN with 24 draw controls, just ahead of her sister Siena who sits in fourth with 23.
» Despite snapping a four-game streak of three or more goals scored, Siena Gore netted two scores in KSU's last outing to remain first in the conference and rank 16th in the country. Her 4.2 goals per game average is good enough for ninth in the NCAA.
» The Owls finished 5-of-8 from the hash against St. Bonaventure to remain the top free position shooting team in the nation with a 71.0 shooting percentage. KSU is the only team in the NCAA currently shooting over 70 percent on the year and is one of just three teams currently shooting over 60 percent. Siena Gore has netted 11 of KSU's 22 goals from the spot, ranking third in the NCAA averaging 2.2 free position goals per game.
» With six saves against SBU, senior Alex Bunn became KSU's all-time leader for saves with 194 career saves. Her current 10.8 saves per game average ranks second in the league and 15th in the nation.
» KSU is among the nation's top shooting teams with a 41.9 shooting percentage. That mark is good enough to lead the conference and rank fifth in the NCAA. Only six teams in the country are currently shooting over 50 percent on the year.

Scouting The Wildcats
New Hampshire heads to Fifth Third Bank Stadium on the tail end of a six-game road trip. UNH dropped their most recent contest at Fairfield to bring their record to 3-2 on the year and snap a three-game winning streak.

The Wildcats have one of the nation's stingiest defenses, allowing an average of 8.8 goals per game to rank 20th in the NCAA. Goalkeeper Issy Torres ranks 18th in the country with a 51.3 save percentage.

UNH has three players with over 10 goals on the year led by Catherine Sexton with 12 followed by Devan Miller and Mickenzie Larivee with 11 each. Sexton is also the Wildcats best distributor with a team-high seven assists.

A Tale Of Two Sisters
Sophomore twins Siena and Marissa Gore have been a force to be reckoned with since joining KSU, and have continued to elevate their game this season.

Siena Gore picked up right where she left off after a phenomenal freshman season with 21 goals so far this year. She is currently the only player in the ASUN with over 20 goals scored, sitting at 16th in the NCAA, while ranking ninth in the country with a 4.2 goals per game average.

Gore was named the ASUN's Player of the Week this past Tuesday after logging six goals, five draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers against Winthrop. She is only nine goals away from becoming the fourth Owl in KSU history to record 100 career goals.

Siena and Marissa are the only Owls with at least 20 draw controls on the year, ranking fourth and third, respectively, in the conference. Although just a sophomore, Siena Gore is already second on the KSU all-time career draw controls list with 142, one of three Owls with over 100 draw controls.

Marissa Gore has been a huge presence in the midfield for KSU, leading the team in caused turnovers and draw controls. She set a single-game career-high with four ground balls in KSU's season-opener at Arizona State, following it up with a career-high four caused turnovers at Vanderbilt, a mark that is tied for third in KSU single-game history.

Marissa Gore's nine caused turnovers is tied for sixth in the conference. Gore also ranks among the league's top-10 for draw controls (3rd) having logged at least five in four straight games including a career-high eight in KSU's last game against St. Bonaventure.

Against the Bonnies, Marissa netted a career-high three goals and two assists to bring her season total to five goals and three dimes.

Eight-Meters Out
The Owls have been deadly from the eight-meter arc this season, converting 22-of-31 free position attempts. KSU's 22 free position goals is currently tied for ninth in the NCAA, while the Owls' 71.0 free position shooting percentage leads the nation. The Owls are the only team in the NCAA shooting over 70 percent on free position attempts with only two other teams in the country shooting over 60 percent.

Against Marquette, KSU recorded eight free position goals, finishing 8-of-10, which is tied for third all-time in a single-game.

Siena Gore has netted 11 of her 21 goals this season off free position attempts which ranks first in the league. She is currently tied for second in the NCAA for total free position goals while her 2.2 free position goals per game average ranks third.

Gore currently holds the KSU career record for free-position goals with 44, 17 more than the next closest Owl.

Anna Giulitto and Izzy Palermo each have three goals from the eight-meter hash with freshman Jaxsyn Schonewille recording her first career goal against SBU after slinging in a shot from the arc.

With three goals scored, Giulitto has secured sole possession of eighth place on the all-time free position goals scored list with 15. Palermo has now moved ahead of Connor Zophy for fifth following her goal against St. Bonaventure.

Offensive Explosion
The KSU attack is one of the most prominent in the country, averaging 14 goals per game to rank second in the league and 27th in the NCAA.

Three Owls rank among the league's top-10 for goals scored with Siena Gore leading the conference with 21 goals followed by Izzy Palermo tied for fourth with 11 and Abby Squires tied for seventh with 10. 

The Owls are also one of the most accurate shooting teams in the nation leading the ASUN and ranked fifth in the NCAA with a 51.9 shooting percentage. Only six teams in the country are currently shooting over 50 percent on the year.

Nine Owls are currently shooting 50 percent or better on the year, led by Emily Napierala who has scored six goals on eight shots for a 75.0 shooting percentage. Napierala is one of four Owls to rank among the league's top-15. Izzy Palermo is sixth shooting 61.1 percent followed by Siena Gore in 11th with a 57.6 shooting percentage and Jennifer Buckley in a tie for 13th shooting 50 percent.

If the Owls can maintain their current shooting percentage it would mark the first time in program history KSU shot over 50 percent as a team in a single-season.

Bunn-believable
Senior Alex Bunn put the ASUN on notice in her first game back between the pipes, fending off a potent Arizona State offense to break the KSU single-game record with 17 saves. Since then she has yet to slow down recording double-digit saves in three games this season.

Her 54 saves on the year ranks third in the league and 27th in the NCAA. Bunn's current 10.8 saves per game average is good enough for 15th in the nation.

The Roswell, Ga., native became KSU's all-time leader in saves following the game against St. Bonaventure, recording 194 saves and counting in her career.

Dropping Dimes
Emily Napierala, Haley Swift and Anna Giulitto have been key distributors for the Owls so far this year with all three ranked among the league's top-10 for assists. Napierala ranks third in the ASUN with seven assists, having logged at least one in every game this year.

In her first full game back after suffering an injury in KSU's season-opener at Arizona State, Swift led the way for the Owl attack with four assists. She is currently tied for fifth in the conference with six assists. With 53 assists in her career, Swift needs just two more to pass Sydney Farwick for second all-time at KSU and four more to set a new career record.

Giulitto rounds out the trio with five total assists, at least one in the last four games, to rank tied for eighth.

1...2...3...Draw!
KSU's current 14.6 draw controls per game average leads the ASUN and ranks 23rd in the NCAA.

Marissa and Siena Gore rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league with 24 and 23 draw controls each.

While Siena Gore is firmly locked in second on the all-time career draw controls record list for the time being, needing 71 draw controls to set a new career record, Squires has begun her climb towards the top. Squires entered the year in eighth with 53 career draw controls, moving up to fourth place during the opening portion of the season. Squires is tied for eighth in the league with 13 draw controls.

Next Up
The Owls close out their homestand next Saturday (Mar. 16) opening ASUN play against newcomers Liberty at 12 p.m.
 

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