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Quote:Subs lift KSU to win over Mercer

Sunday, October 2, 2005 3:09 AM EDT


By David Friedlander
Marietta Daily Journal Sports Writer

KENNESAW - Needing a boost following a lackluster opening to Saturday's Atlantic Sun Conference soccer game against Mercer, Kennesaw State found it in the form of Mandy Nolin.

The sophomore midfielder had the first of two assists on the day just minutes after entering the game and later added a goal to help lift the Owls to a 4-0 win over the visiting Bears before 409 fans at the KSU Soccer Complex.

"(Saturday), I just felt like I had a lot of energy," Nolin said. "We just needed something to get us going."

Nolin's energy was just what the doctor ordered for KSU (8-1-1, 4-0 and ranked No. 10 in the Southeast Region) when she and former Walton standout Stephanie Grzeszkowiak entered the game in the 30th minute of the first half.

And it didn't take long - just over 2 minutes - for both players to make an impact.

"The two subs we sent in were a spark for us," KSU coach Rob King said. "(The goal) seem to wake the team up."

Grzeszkowiak sent Nolin in on right wing and went to the net before Nolin sent a cross right back to the junior forward, who headed it past Mercer (4-9, 1-3) goalkeeper Lauren Burch to give KSU a 1-0 lead with 13:24 left in the first half.

"The play just kind of developed," Nolin said. "Stephanie got me the ball, and I knew I could beat (the Mercer defender) down the line. We just really needed the energy."

The goal seemed to rejuvenate the Owls, who needed just 1:41 to find the back of the net again.

And Nolin was once again in the middle of the play.&nbsp;

This time, she redirected Trina Hirsch's free kick to a wide-open Beth Meadors, who had plenty of time to settle the pass, wind up from just inside the penalty area on the left wing and rifle a shot inside the near post to extend the KSU lead to 2-0 with 11:43 left in the opening frame.

Nolin then took matters into her own hands in the second half when she corralled Rebecca Hall's through ball on the left wing and slipped a shot under the crossbar from 22 yards out to give the Owls a commanding 3-0 lead with 35:19 remaining.

That was more than enough for goalkeeper Jessica Marek, who saw her string of seven straight shutouts end in last Thursday's 4-1 win over Stetson, but started a new streak Saturday.

Though the Owls' defense was solid much of the match, Marek was needed in order to preserve the shutout by making eight saves, several of which came from point blank range after careless turnovers, including her diving stop to rob Mercer's Darcy Kibler with 4:41 left.

"We got a little comfortable after (taking the big lead)," Marek said. "But I hat to get scored on."

Jenae Gzehoviak capped off the scoring with her fourth goal of the season off assists from Abby Hirsch and Jessica Kolanji with 7:08 remaining.

dfriedlander@mdjonline.com