CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After opening the first week of ASUN Conference play with a 1-1 record, the EKU soccer team hits the road for a two-match road trip against Queens and Kennesaw State, beginning Thursday at the Queens Sports Complex.
Thursday's match against Queens (2-4-2, 0-1-1 ASUN) is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff and tickets are available on the
Royals' website beginning at $8. Sunday's match at Kennesaw State (1-5-3, 0-2-0 ASUN) will be at 1 p.m. at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Both matches this week are scheduled to be aired on ESPN+.
EKU (2-6-1, 1-1-0 ASUN) enter this weekend's trip winners of their last match against Austin Peay at home by a score of 1-0. The win marked the Colonels' first inside conference play.
Freshman winger
Paula Herranz netted her first collegiate goal in the shutout, which was assisted by senior defender Mackinzie Burdick – her second of the season and in her career.
The Colonels have attempted 16-or-more shot attempts in three matches this season.
EKU had a season-high 10 corners against the Govs, it's most under head coach
Matt Cosinuke.
Keeper
Marah Krick picked up her first win in net since the 2021 season last time out. Through eight starts the Glenmoore, Pa. native has saved 29 shots and has a 74 percent save rate.
Thursday's match is the first meeting for EKU and Queens in program history.
Sunday's match in Georgia is the fourth meeting between KSU and EKU, where the Owls' lead the head-to-head series 2-1. EKU's last win against Kennesaw State came in the ASUN Championship quarterfinals last season, the Colonels advanced with a 1-0 win in Lynchburg, Va.
Scouting Queens
The Royals enter Thursday's match after picking up their first ASUN Conference point last match at North Alabama. QUC is seeking its first win since at home since Sept. 10 when the team completed an 8-0 rout of South Carolina State.
Through eight matches, defender Savannah Stuart leads the program with two goals – scoring a brace against SCSU. Queens has eight different goal scorers thus far, including forward Maddy Leone who has a team-leading 16 shot attempts and seven shots on frame.
Goalkeeper Erica Turner leads the defensive effort with 42 saves and three clean sheets. She enters play on Thursday as a two-time ASUN Goalie of the Week, she has three games this season with six-or-more saves.
Scouting Kennesaw State
Kennesaw State is set to host EKU's travel partner Bellarmine on Thursday before the Colonels come to town. KSU sits at 1-5-3 overall this season with a home win over Presbyterian. The Owls have opened the ASUN slate with losses to Central Arkansas (2-0) and North Alabama (5-0), both on the road.
As a team, Kennesaw State has scored three goals through nine matches. Forward Macie Rainwater leads the squad with 10 shots, she had two shots on 60 minutes of action against UNA.
