The women’s soccer team lost 3-2 in its conference opener against the Lipscomb University Bison at Fifth Third Bank Stadium Saturday, Sept. 24.
Kennesaw’s Cassidy Kemp and Kim Fincher both scored for the Owls (5-5-1, 0-1-0 ASUN) but came up short in the end against a talented Lipscomb (7-3-1, 1-0 ASUN) squad.
Both teams began the game aggressive in terms of offense. In the 10th minute, Kemp opened up the scoreboard and gave the Owls a temporary lead. Kemp has scored five goals this season, which ties her for first place as the team’s leading scorer.
“She was outstanding,” head coach Benji Walton said. “She was dribbling, outrunning people, cutting back, getting some looks. She does what we ask all our forwards to do and she’s really composed with it real fast.”
The lead would not last long, however, as Lipscomb would tie the match four minutes later. Both teams pushed forward, and Fincher broke the deadlock to give the Owls a 2-1 lead just before halftime.
In the second half, Lipscomb took advantage of mistakes by the Owls and scored twice to steal away the victory.
“We played a great game against a very good team,” Walton said. “Our offense outshot them. We did everything we needed to win the ballgame. We gave them a couple of soft goals just because of miscommunication.”
Kennesaw has lost four games this season after they have taken the lead.
“We gotta quit letting mistakes hurt us. Good teams, they burn you. That has been our story so far,” Walton said.
Walton insisted that this game doesn’t define the season.
“There are six games left of conference, plenty of time to make your statement,” he said. “These girls aren’t giving up, and I’m not giving up.”
The Owls will take on North Florida (4-4-2, 0-1-0 ASUN) in Jacksonville, Florida at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30.
“Everybody is excited and ready to roll,” Walton said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
