Tuesday, Mar. 23
3:00 p.m. ET – Kennesaw State (2-3, 1-0) at Gardner-Webb (2-3)
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Notes: KSU

OPENING DRAW
» The Kennesaw State women's lacrosse team makes up its previously postponed game against Gardner-Webb Tuesday afternoon looking hit .500 on the year. The Owls have won the last two meetings against the Runnin' Bulldogs, including last year's 17-8 decision, for a 3-1 overall series record.

» The Owls are coming off a 19-12 victory over Stetson in their ASUN opener last Monday. Marissa Gore scored a career-high six goals against the Hatters to propel her to her first ASUN Player of the Week award last Wednesday. She is tied for second in the conference with 16 goals, one of seven players with at least 10 goals, while ranked in the top-10 for points (2nd), draw controls (5th), ground balls (6th) and caused turnovers (7th). She and her sister Siena Gore are two of three players in the ASUN to net over 15 goals so far this season to help lead the No. 2 attack in the league with KSU averaging 12.2 goals per game.

» Siena Gore is one of the top all-around players in the country at the moment. Gore ranks eighth in the NCAA for goals per game averaging 4.60. She has netted at least three goals in every game, four or more in the last three games, including a career-high eight goals against Winthrop to tie the KSU single-game record. Gore has recorded 15 free position goals on the year to lead the NCAA for total goals and free position goals per game (3.00). She also ranks 18th in the country for caused turnovers per game (2.20). This year Gore became the first Owl in program history to record over 200 career points with 212 and counting while breaking the all-time ASUN record for career goals with 189.

» Freshman goalkeeper Julia Weiss has been a huge presence in the cage for KSU, leading the ASUN averaging nine saves per game. She has racked up 45 total saves on the year, including a career-high 12 in KSU's win over Winthrop. Weiss' 38.8 save percentage ranks second in the ASUN while her 11 ground balls is tied for ninth.

» Defensively, the Owls have four players ranked in the league's top-15 for caused turnovers with Siena Gore ranked fifth as one of six players with double-digit caused turnovers. Marissa Gore ranks seventh in the league with nine while Carson Pearson and Roslyn Talbert are tied for 12th with six apiece. As a team, KSU ranks 16th in the NCAA averaging 10.2 caused turnovers per game, one of 20 teams in the country averaging 10 or more caused turnovers. The Owls have logged 10 or more caused turnovers in all but one game. If maintained, KSU's current average would set a new single-season record and mark just the second time in program history the Owls have averaged over nine caused turnovers in a year.

SISTER SISTER
Senior twins Siena and Marissa Gore have either broken or are ranked in the top-10 for nearly every category in the KSU career record book.

Siena Gore has broken the single-season record for points, goals and draw controls twice, becoming the only Owl in history to record over 150 goals and 250 draw controls. She just recently set the KSU all-time career record for points and is one of four players in ASUN history to earn at least 200 career points (206).

She had a record game at Winthrop in which she tied the KSU single-game record for goals (8) and points (10). Siena leads the ASUN with 27 points with her and sister Marissa being the only two players in the conference to tally over 20 points on the year while having played three less games than the rest of the top-5. She ranks in the league's top-10 for draw controls (2nd), assists (4th), caused turnovers (5th) and shooting percentage (2nd).

Siena Gore ranks eighth in the NCAA averaging 4.6 goals per game and 15th for points per game averaging 5.4.

Marissa Gore has been another all-around powerhouse for KSU, ranking fifth all-time for career assists (34), third for draw controls (152) and fifth for caused turnovers (44). She recently became just the eighth player in KSU history to record 100 career points after scoring a career-high six goals against Stetson. Marissa ranks seventh for career points (102) and ninth for career goals (68).

In the ASUN, Marissa is currently ranked among the top-10 for goals (2nd), points (2nd), assists (4th), draw controls (5th), caused turnovers (7th) and ground balls (6th).

Both Marissa and Siena have earned one ASUN Player of the Week honor this year.

BETWEEN THE PIPES
With the graduation of revered goalkeeper Alex Bunn, all eyes have turned to freshman Julia Weiss.

Weiss comes to KSU from South Carroll HS in Sykesville, Md., leading the Cavaliers to their first ever Class 2A State Championship and a 17-1 record in 2019. She was named an all-county selection in 2018 and 2019.

She has been a huge asset in the cage for KSU totaling 45 saves on the year after recording a career-high 12 at Winthrop to earn her first career win. Weiss currently ranks 38th in the NCAA averaging 9.00 saves per game, having logged 10 or more saves in the two of the last three games.

She shined in her debut, earning the starting nod in KSU's season-opener to record eight saves to help the Owls maintain a 4-3 lead at halftime against Coastal Carolina. She also logged eight saves against No. 6 Florida.

Fellow freshman Errin Crowe has logged over 40 minutes in the net this year recording five total saves. She helped lead Lassiter HS to three Area 4 6A/7A championships from 2017-19, finishing her prep career with a 56-17 overall record.

The duo have been aided by an Owl defense that averages 10.2 caused turnovers per game. If maintained, it would set a new single-season record marking just the second time in program history KSU has averaged over nine caused turnovers per game.

Four Owls, Marissa Gore, Siena Gore, Carson Pearson and Roslyn Talbert, all rank among the league's top-15 for total caused turnovers with Siena Gore ranked 18th in the NCAA averaging 2.2 caused turnovers per game.

FREE NINETY NINE
The Owls have made the most of their free position attempts so far this season, converting 22 of their 45 shots. KSU's 48.9 percent shooting percentage from the arc ranks 31st in the NCAA with its 22 total goals tied for 22nd.

KSU's stellar production is due in large part to Siena Gore who has scored 15 goals on 22 free position attempts. She is the only player in the ASUN to record more than five goals from the eight-meter arc, leading the country in both total goals and goals per game (3.00).

Marissa Gore has netted four free position goals on the year with Mia Mackenzie, Julia Dell'Angelo and Natalie Welch all recording one apiece.

On the flipside, KSU has held opponents to 37 percent from eight meters out, holding teams to 10 goals on 27 free position attempts.

NAP TIME
Emily Napierala is the sole senior from last season to return for the 2021 campaign after her senior season was cut short due to COVID-19.

Napierala was the Owls' top-assister ranking second in the ASUN with 11 dimes, one of four players with double-digit assists. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native has led KSU in assists the last two seasons becoming one of three players in program history to record over 20 assists in a year, recording 25 in 2019.

She is currently ranked fourth on the KSU career record list for assists with 49, needing one more to become the fourth Owl in program history with 50 career assists. Napierala needs only 16 assists this season to tie Haley Swift (2016-19) for the all-time career record.

Napierala has also found the back of the net a fair amount, recording 56 goals in her career. She made her return in tremendous fashion after being sidelined for three games, recording three goals and an assist in KSU's game against Stetson.

UP NEXT
After Monday's road game, KSU returns to Kennesaw to take on Wofford Friday (Mar. 26) at 2 p.m.

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