The Kennesaw State women’s soccer team scored two second-half goals in quick succession as they pulled away a 2-0 win against visiting Jacksonville at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Friday, Sept. 28.
KSU controlled the ball for most of the match as they remained unbeaten at home. The six home wins are the most since they posted an 8-2 mark in 2009. With nine wins on the season, KSU surpassed their win total from a year ago when they finished 8-7-4.
The Owls struck first when freshman Jenna Vollrath scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season on a counterattack as her low-gliding shot hit off the far post and into the goal on 53 minutes.
KSU extended its lead to 2-0 less than 10 minutes later when sophomore Erin Harris dribbled around a defender inside the box and used her weaker left foot to beam a shot past the keeper just before the hour mark.
It was also a great night for redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Tiffany Sornpao, who collected her seventh clean sheet of the season and 14th of her career. Sornpao is now currently leading the ASUN conference in saves with 65 and she currently ranks third on KSU’s all-time career shutout list.
“At halftime, we said we’re creating great chances and looks, we just need to be a little more composed,” head coach Benji Walton said. “I told them afterward that this one is over and we have a tough one on Sunday.”
The Owls continued their winning ways when they traveled to Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday to play North Florida. A rally in the second half forced an overtime period where the Owls scored to prevail 3-2.
Early on, the Owls were under pressure from the Osprey as they conceded two goals in the first half. An easy tap-in to open the scoring was followed by a penalty kick on 39 minutes.
KSU came right out of the gate in the second half, as Isabella Contreras scored two goals in 26 seconds to level the score. The match remained tied, forcing an overtime period. After a scoreless opening period, the Owls struck quickly in the second period through Kendall Higgs as she scored her third goal of the season.
The win improved the Owls to 10-3-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play as they reached their tenth win for the second time in three seasons. KSU now sits at second place in the ASUN with only one loss against conference opponents.
“I am so unbelievably proud of this team,” Walton said. “I challenged the team at halftime and told the players they had 45 minutes to prove to everyone what kind of team they really are.”
The Owls will continue conference action as they travel to play Stetson on Thursday, Oct. 4, before coming back home to play Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.
