By: Zac Pike
Kennesaw State (0-3-0), (0-0-0) vs. Georgia State (2-0-1), (0-0-0)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Fifth Third Bank Stadium
Date: Sunday, Aug. 28
Time: 6:00 p.m. EST
Live Stats | Video
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State women's soccer team returns home for a matchup with Georgia State on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Georgia State enters the contest unbeaten through three games.
KSU has had sustained success against teams from the Sun Belt, posting a 14-6-3 record against teams currently in the league.
The Owls have a 6-3-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Panthers, dating back to 2005. The two programs met last season, as Georgia State defeated KSU 2-1 on Sept. 3, 2021.
Freshmen Dazzle in Debuts
Freshmen Stella Allen and Mai Jensen both scored in their season debuts this season. Appearing in her first game as an Owl against UAB on Thursday, Allen connected on her first career goal. Jensen achieved the same feat in the season opener against South Alabama. Jensen was the first true freshman to score in a season opener since Alma Gardarsdottir did so in 2010.
Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Sophomore forward Macie Rainwater netted her first goal of the season at UAB on Thursday. The forward led the Owls in scoring as a freshman a season ago, netting seven goals and 14 points to earn a spot on the all-conference freshman team. The forward also scored the first KSU hat trick since Shannon Driscoll on Aug. 28, 2016, with three goals in the ASUN Tournament quarterfinal win against Central Arkansas.
Balanced Attack
Through three games, 13 different players have attempted a shot for KSU. Kendall Higgs, Rainwater and Chiara Singarella lead the team in shots with four each. Singarella also leads the Owls with three shots on goal.
New Faces
KSU features 14 newcomers, 11 of which are freshmen. The Owls brought in a trio of transfers, Morgan Thomas (Kansas), Kaylee Hammer (Cincinnati) and Madelyn Baucom (Virginia Tech). The freshmen class features four players from Georgia, two from Florida, and one each from South Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington and Argentina. The 11 freshmen are tied for the 11th most in the NCAA this season.
International Talent Show
The Owls have several players with international experience on the squad this season. Freshman Chiara Singarella plays for the Argentina National Team in both soccer and handball. Singarella also played for the Independiente Rivadavia team, winning three-straight championships in the Primera B Nacional league in Argentina. Sophomore Teresa Wowk played with the Peru National Team in the 2022 Copa America Femenina Tournament in July. Junior Agata Giani is from Milan, Italy and has experience playing for FC Internazionale U19, CFB Bocconi and Polisportiva Segrate. The midfielder appeared in 19 games last season, making 15 starts.
Iron Women
Hayley Dekker (1,802) and Erin Miller (1,724) led the team in minutes played a season ago. Dekker's 1,802 minutes was the 10th highest total in KSU history. Both started and appeared in all 19 games last season. Miller has played in all 270 minutes through three games this season.
Next Match
The Owls travel to Clinton, S.C. to take on the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Thursday at 7 p.m.
To keep up with the latest on the Kennesaw State women's soccer team, follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsSoccer or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
