Kennesaw State University’s women basketball team got its new season off to a good start on Sunday, Nov. 5, with a 92-56 win over the College of Coastal Georgia.
Kennesaw won the tip-off and quickly went up 2-0, retaining the lead against the Mariners for the entirety of the game. The offense was steady, consistent and unrelenting.
Senior forward Aereon Smith and red-shirt guard Kelly Dulkoski led the game in scoring. Smith was 8-17 from the field, scoring a total of 25 points in her 31 minutes played. Dulkoski contributed to a strong offensive display with 17 points in just 31 minutes.
Kennesaw continued to build its momentum throughout the game as Coastal Georgia struggled offensively, shooting just 32 percent from the field and scoring only 23 points in the first half.
It was clear that the Mariners made some adjustments at halftime, however, putting up 23 points in the third quarter alone. The Owls were still able to maintain their dominance throughout the game, with their biggest lead of 37 points coming with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter.
Another contributing factor to the Mariners’ sluggish offense was a well-played defense from Kennesaw. The Owls’ top defensive performers included freshman forward Carlotta Gianolla and red-shirt junior Chloe Branch. Gianolla, the Owls’ only true freshman, led the team with 10 rebounds. Branch added seven of her own and came up with three steals and two blocks.
This was only an exhibition game, but it was a strong introduction for KSU’s newest head coach, Agnus Berenato, who was hired in March of this year.
Berenato has accomplished a lot in her 29-year head coaching career. Prior to coming to KSU, she was the winningest coach in school history at the University of Pittsburgh and led Georgia Tech to the 1992 Women’s National Invitation Tournament Championship.
Kennesaw’s season will officially tip off on Friday, Nov. 8, when the Owls head to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt University.
KSU’s first game at home will take place Monday, Nov. 14, when Kennesaw will welcome the Jacksonville State Gamecocks to the Convocation Center.
