Tuesday, Apr. 6
3:00 p.m. ET – Kennesaw State (5-4, 1-0) vs Mercer (3-4, 2-0)
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Notes: KSU

OPENING DRAW
» The Kennesaw State women's lacrosse team is back in the Bank Tuesday afternoon, hosting in-state rival Mercer for one of its two slated games inside Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The Owls have only bested Mercer once in program history, a narrow 15-14 victory in 2015. Last year's meeting was the closest KSU has come to repeating that 2015 result, falling 13-10 after three goals by the Bears in the final five minutes.

» Marissa Gore came to play in KSU's last game at Delaware State, leading the high-powered offense with four goals and two assists, her sixth game in the last seven with at least four points. She has provided a one-two punch for KSU, along with her sister Siena, ranking second in the conference with 26 goals. Marissa also ranks in the top-5 for points (2nd), assists (3rd), draw controls (4th), ground balls (2nd) and caused turnovers (3rd). She and Siena are the driving force behind KSU's attack as two of four players in the league to net at least 20 goals on the year. The Owls lead the ASUN, and rank 26th in the NCAA, averaging 14.1 goals per game.

» On the defensive side, the Owls have six players ranked in the league's top-15 for caused turnovers with Siena Gore ranked second and Marissa Gore ranked third. Carson Pearson, Julia Weiss, Rachel Price and Roslyn Talbert are currently tied for 12th with seven caused turnovers apiece. As a team, KSU ranks 25th in the NCAA averaging 9.56 caused turnovers per game. The Owls have logged 10 or more caused turnovers in five games. 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.

» Despite not appearing in KSU's recent game at Delaware State, Siena Gore continues to be one of the top all-around players in the country, ranked second in the NCAA for goals per game (5.62) and third for total goals (45). She has netted at least six goals in three straight games and four or more in the last six. Siena recorded a career-high nine goals in KSU's recent game against Wofford, breaking the KSU single-game record for goals that had previously stood for seven years. Gore has recorded 25 free position goals on the year to lead the NCAA for total goals and free position goals per game (3.12). She also ranks 12th in the country for draw controls per game (7.12) and 15th for caused turnovers per game (2.00). This year Gore became the first Owl in program history to record over 200 career points while breaking the all-time ASUN record for career goals with 211.

» Freshman goalkeeper Julia Weiss has shined in the net for KSU logging double-digit saves in four games this season. She recorded a career-high 14 saves in the Owls' second game against Winthrop. Weiss leads the ASUN for both total saves (77) and saves per game (8.56).

WONDER TWIN POWERS
Senior twins Siena and Marissa Gore have buoyed the KSU attack this season and throughout their careers. They rank first and second in the ASUN for total goals and points on the year, leading the Owls with 45 and 26 goals respectively.

Siena Gore has netted at least six goals in her last three straight games, tying the KSU single-game record for goals (8) and points (10) in the Owls' first game against Winthrop. She followed up that performance by breaking the single-game record with a career-high nine goals against Wofford. Siena is one of five players in the country to record over 40 goals this season, ranked second in the NCAA for goals per game (5.62) and third for total goals (45).

She leads the ASUN with 49 points as her and sister Marissa, who ranks second, are the only two players in the conference to tally over 30 points on the year. Siena also ranks in the league's top-5 for draw controls (1st), caused turnovers (2nd), ground balls (3rd) and shooting percentage (2nd).

Not to be overshadowed, Marissa Gore is just behind Siena currently ranked among the top-5 in the conference for goals (2nd), points (2nd), assists (3rd), draw controls (4th), caused turnovers (3rd) and ground balls (2nd). Marissa has netted at least three goals in six games, recording four or more points in six of the last seven games.

The Gores 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 ranked second all-time with 234.

Marissa Gore has been another all-around powerhouse for KSU, ranking fifth all-time for career assists (38), third for draw controls (163) and third for caused turnovers (50). 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 (116) and seventh for career goals (78).

LOCK DOWN D
From the cage to the restraining line, the Owl defense has shined this season. KSU averages 9.56 caused turnovers per game to rank 25th in the NCAA. Six Owls, Siena Gore, Marissa Gore, Carson Pearson, Roslyn Talbert, Rachel Price and Julia Weiss, all rank among the league's top-15 for total caused turnovers with Siena Gore ranked 15th in the country averaging 2.00 caused turnovers per game.

If maintained, KSU's 9.56 caused turnovers per game average would set a new single-season record marking just the second time in program history KSU has averaged over nine caused turnovers per game.

In the net, freshman Julia Weiss has been a huge asset for KSU totaling 77 saves on the year, recording a career-high 14 saves in KSU's most recent game against Winthrop. Weiss currently leads the ASUN and ranks 26th in the NCAA for total saves.

Weiss has logged double-digit saves in four games with her current 8.56 saves per game average ranking third in KSU single-season history. She also ranks fourth in the conference with 19 ground balls on the year.

FREE NINETY NINE
The Owls have made the most of their free position attempts so far this season, converting 48 of their 91 shots. KSU's 52.7 percent shooting percentage from the arc ranks 14th in the NCAA with its 48 total goals leading the country.

KSU's stellar production is due in large part to Siena Gore who has scored 25 goals on 34 free position attempts. She, along with sister Marissa, are the only two players in the ASUN to record more than 10 goals from the eight-meter arc, leading the country in both total goals and goals per game (3.12).

Siena Gore has converted 15 of her last 17 free position attempts.

Marissa Gore has netted 10 free position goals on the year with Camryn Klaus recording four followed by Julia Dell'Angelo, Hannah Barth and Nataiie Welch with two and Mia MacKenzie, Jaxsyn Schonewille and Jenna Mish all logging one apiece.

On the flipside, KSU has held opponents to 44 percent from eight meters out, holding teams to 21 goals on 47 free position attempts.

UP NEXT
The Owls close out their homestand this Friday (Apr. 9), hosting Furman at 1 p.m. on Sports Park Field 3.

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