Game One
Not even the consistently optimistic head coach Rob King could find any positives after the KSU soccer team’s 3-0 loss to visiting Samford on Tuesday, Sept. 17th.
The Owls never really challenged in defeat and dropped to 2-5 on the season and 0-2 at home. Head coach Rob King was unable to single out what he thinks the answer might be, instead condemning the performance as a whole.
“It would be nice if it was just one area that I thought needed fixing, but it wasn’t,” King said. “It was rampant all the way through the team.”
Slow starts have been common for King’s team this year, and Tuesday was no exception, as there was little room for error against a Samford squad that had already defeated three SEC teams this season. The Owls fell behind 1-0 when Samford forward Amanda Abbott ran onto a through ball in the 41st minute and finished calmly past KSU goalkeeper Olivia Sturdivant, who had come off her line.
“We spoke about making some adjustments at halftime,” King said. “But when we got out, we really didn’t make those adjustments very well.”
Abbott, a Lassiter High School graduate, would score again in the 52nd minute in remarkably similar fashion to her first goal. The KSU defensive line was again beaten and a lobbed pass was enough to spring Abbott free to dribble past the onrushing Sturdivant to score. A third Samford goal was added on a free header by Trine Taule in the 73rd minute that capped a night of disorganization for the KSU defense.
“Defensively, we didn’t really communicate,” King said. “Our lines weren’t tight enough.”
The attack did not fare any better, posting their fourth scoreless match of the season. As a unit, the KSU forwards continued their scoreless drought that has continued since Katrina Frost scored in the Clayton State exhibition. Freshman Maggie Gaughan had two of the Owls’ three shots on goal, but Samford goalkeeper Katie Peters was only forced to make three relatively simple saves in the shutout. The front three was generally far too isolated, and attacking midfielder Suzanne Arafa struggled to influence the game without consistent passing options. The veteran Frost suffered from the same problem in her 39 minutes of action at forward, a season high for her.
Game Two
KSU had better luck on Sunday, as freshman Cobb Co. product Maggie Gaughan (Hillgrove HS) scored the Owls’ two goals in a 2-0 win over Troy at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
Gaughan scored her first career goal in the 17th minute when she managed to control the ball and maneuver through the defense while the goalie had left the goal.
She would score again in the 65th minute, via an assist from Brittney Reed, when she headed in a cross from feet away.
“She’s doing very well for us, first of all,” King said of Gaughan. “Coming in and starting things as our freshman forwards are is a big ask.” King didn’t just applaud Gaughan, but all of his freshman. “They’re doing well, they’re getting better with each game, and they’re putting in a lot of extra time outside of training sessions as well,” King said. “It paid off for us today.”
Nicole Calder was the only other Owl to have a shot on goal, while also having three shots, followed by two from Monica Herrera and freshman Suzanna Arafa.
KSU outshot Troy 12 to five, while also recording its third shutout of the season.
“It was a match that we dominated from start to finish,” King said. “It was nice for our girls. We worked on a couple of things defensively through the week.”
The Owls are now 3-5 on the year and will open their conference schedule on Friday at home against the Lipscomb Bisons.
KSU will also host A-Sun foe Northern Kentucky Sunday at 1 p.m.
