Soccer lost to the Mercer Bears 2-1 in a nail-biter in its season opener on Aug. 15, 2024, at Fifth Third Stadium.
While It appeared that the game would end in a draw, Mercer scored the go-ahead goal in the closing minutes.
The Owls got off to a strong start scoring first in the 9th-minute when forward Tianna Rivera was credited with the goal giving the Owls a 1-0 lead. It was Rivera’s 11th goal of her collegiate career.
“We worked on finishing the ball in the box since January so when it finally happened they’re really buying into just selling out and either getting a goal or a foul,” coach Chris Cahill said. “That’s what the team was excited about because it’s been eight months of trying to win balls in the box.”
“We have a game that we play and it’s finally paying off for them and they’re seeing it so I was super happy for her with all of the work she’s starting to put in,” Cahill said.
Mercer responded with a goal of its own by Maria Karipidis, assisted by Kendall Cook that tied the game up 1-1 in the 29th-minute. Owls goalkeeper Charlee Bernal was shaken up after a play in the first half but did not exit the game.
The Bears had several opportunities to score. They took a total of 24 shots in the game, 10 of which were put on goal. The second half continued to be a back-and-forth as neither team scored in the first 40 minutes of the period.
Mercer ended the scoring drought when Sydney Farr hit the net off an assist from Lena Dykes, which gave the Bears a 2-1 lead.
The Owls did not score for the remainder of the game resulting in a 2-1 defeat. They only managed to attempt four shots, in contrast to Mercer’s 24. Each team registered a yellow card and Bears goalkeeper Lindsay Bell registered one save, while Bernal notched 10 in the second half.
This was Cahill’s head coaching debut with the Owls. He said he felt mixed emotions prior to the game and following the loss.
“Before the game, it’s a first game match day and the girls were jacked up so the energy was good,” Cahill said. “After the game, it’s just going back to the drawing board and figuring out how we can clean stuff up to get ready for Sunday.”
Although Cahill was disappointed with the loss, he said he now has a clearer understanding of what to address to enhance the Kennesaw State Owls’ performance this season.
“I’m disappointed with the loss, but I’m happy that we’ve done better on a few different things that we’re keying on this year.”
As the Owls prepared to face Eastern Washington, they looked to improve in some areas.
“For us, individually and even organizationally, we got to be a little bit better defensively,” Cahill expressed. “I don’t know much about Eastern Washington so we’ll put our heads together over the next two days and figure out how we can use our strengths.”
KSU hosted EWU on Aug. 18 at Fifth Third Stadium, falling 3-2.
