It was only a matter of time before KSU’s redshirt-sophomore Katrina Frost made another big play for the Black and Gold.
With less than two minutes remaining in the Owls season opener against in-state rival Mercer, Frost, who was an All-Atlantic Sun Conference performer last season, saved the Owls from defeat with a clutch goal—her fourth of the season.
KSU (4-5, 0-0-1 A-Sun) was able to hold on Saturday night at Kennesaw Stadium to walk away with a 1-1 tie in its conference opener.
“First of all it was a good game,” head coach Rob King said. “It was very much a battle and we said it would be. In the locker room before the game, we said we were going to have to fight and fight from the first whistle to the last.”
The contest was hard fought and scoreless until the last ten minutes of action, when Mercer’s Washida Blackman put through her first goal of the year to give the Bears a late 1-0 advantage.
Frost’s answer came on a free kick from 18- yards out. It was her 15th career goal.
“We left it all on the field and gave all our heart,” Frost said. “Luckily we were able to get one in. We have some unfortunate misses in the first and second halves, but we were able to pull together as a team.”
Neither team were able to get another score in the overtime period, and eventually the game was called at a tie.
Frost finished with seven shots for the Owls. Sophomore Julia Nelson had four.
Melissa Hutto didn’t have a busy night, finishing with one save in the goal for the Black and Gold.
The Owls were much more aggressive offensively, as the Bears goalkeeper finished with six saves.
The Bears did outshoot the Owls in the match, 18-14.
“I thought we created enough good chances, particularly early in the game, where we could have been a couple up. Instead, against the run of play we found ourselves a goal down, so we were coming from behind,” King said. “It was a great goal by Frosty off the free kick to level it up and take it into overtime. I was very pleased with the work rate, very pleased that we came back. We would have liked to get a win out of that first home game, but we will take the tie and we will see if we can get two next weekend.”
KSU will hit the pitch at KSU Stadium again on Friday, 7 p.m., against East Tennessee State and Sunday at 1 p.m. against USC-Upstate.
