Friday, September 25, 2009

MACON, Ga. - Kennesaw State welcomes Stetson for a 7:00 p.m. matchup Friday in the A-Sun Game of the Week from the KSU Soccer Complex in Kennesaw, Ga.

The Owls enter the first weekend of full conference action sharing first place in the A-Sun standings courtesy of their win against Mercer. Stetson begins Atlantic Sun play with a record of 4-4-0. The Hatters’ leading scorer, Tessa Gavilsky, currently ranks second in the conference in points, points per-game and goals pre-game. The Owls’ Alyssa Mahan leads the A-Sun in assists per-game. Stetson features three players with five or more points on the season including Gavilsky.

Stetson and Kennesaw State meet in the A-Sun Game of the Week with lots of interesting matchups as the 2008 Preseason A-Sun Player of the Year (Kennesaw State’s Catlin Dingle), the 2008 Player of the Year (Gavilsky) and the 2009 Preseason Player of the Year (the Owls’ Maylee Attin-Johnson) will all share the pitch on this night.

The Hatters ended non-conference play with a tough loss to USF in double overtime. The Bulls tied Stetson with a goal in 73rd minute and pulled out the win with a goal in 107th minute. In non-conference play the Hatters posted wins against FAU, Embry-Riddle, UT Martin and Jackson State.

Gavilsky ranks second in the conference in points and goals scored. She must try and get a shot past the Owls’ Staci Pugh, owner of a 1.99 goals-against average this season. However, in her last five contests, she has allowed just five goals. Pugh currently holds a 184:45 shutout streak.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.