ATLANTA – A goal in the 86th minute was the difference in an extremely close match between Kennesaw State and Georgia State Friday night at the GSU Soccer Complex. The Owls escaped with a 1-0 win after Nicole Calder scored the game-winner when the match looked destined for overtime.
Georgia State nearly took the lead in the seventh minute when Ashley Nagy fired a shot from outside the box over the head of Owl keeper Olivia Sturdivant. However, it was too high and deflected off the crossbar. Whitney Ravan was there to head the rebound on goal but it was right at Sturdivant who made the save.
Kennesaw State threatened in the eighth minute when Maggie Gaughan got behind the Panther defense. She attempted a shot from the right, but GSU goalie Brie Haynes made the save and the ball was cleared out of danger.
Both teams went on the attack over the next 37 minutes, but neither team was able to find the back of the net. The half ended with the score was tied 0-0 despite Georgia State holding the edge in shots (10-4) and corner kicks taken (5-1). GSU's Haynes recorded three saves on four shots in the half, while KSU's Sturdivant finished with two saves on 10 shots.
Early in the second half, Kennesaw State threatened when Suzanne Arafa forced Haynes to make a save in the 51st minute. The Panthers also came close to scoring in the 56thminute, but Lauren Harriman's shot deflected off the cross bar.
In the 68th minute, GSU's Alyssia Feronti fired a free kick toward the bottom left corner but Sturdivant went low to make the save. The Owls continued to press and nearly took the lead twice in a four minute span. First, Brittney Reed was denied by Haynes in the 71st minute. Then, in the 75th minute, Haynes made an excellent reflex save on a diving header by KSU's Nicole Calder off a corner kick.
The game looked destined for overtime, but Kennesaw State finally broke through in the 86thminute. Jewelia Strickland sent a cross from the right side to the far post, and Calder slotted it into the bottom right corner from six yards out.
GSU pushed to score an equalizer but were unable to generate a quality scoring chance. The match ended 1-0 in favor of the Owls. KSU improves to 2-3 on the year, while the Panthers fall to 0-2-1.
Georgia State returns to action Sunday, Sept. 8, against the Dolphins of Jacksonville. The match will kick off at 1 p.m. ET at the GSU Soccer Complex.
