Kennesaw State women’s soccer is back home with momentum — and Anabel Orozco is at the center of it.
The Owls return to Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium Thursday night to host New Mexico State in another Conference USA matchup.
Kennesaw State enters at 4-4-3 overall and 1-0-0 in CUSA after opening conference play with a 2-1 victory over Sam Houston.
New Mexico State also won its conference opener, defeating FIU 1-0 to move to 2-7-2 overall and 1-0-0 in league play.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
But if the Aggies want to leave Kennesaw with three points, they’ll have to deal with one of the hottest attacking players in the conference.
Anabel Orozco Is On a Serious Run
Senior midfielder Anabel Orozco has been one of the biggest stories surrounding Kennesaw State this season.
The Fayetteville, Georgia, native scored twice in the Owls’ 2-1 win over Sam Houston, earning her second Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week award in three weeks.
That performance extended an impressive streak.
Orozco has now recorded a goal contribution in five consecutive matches, becoming the first Kennesaw State player to accomplish the feat since Jewlia Strickland in 2012.
During that five-game stretch, Orozco has produced:
- 6 goals
- 2 assists
- 14 points
Her season numbers are even more impressive.
Orozco currently leads CUSA in:
- Shots — 35
- Shots on goal — 22
- Points — 16
- Goals — 7
She’s also among the national Division I leaders, ranking inside the top 25 in shots and the top 50 in points and goals.
Simply put, Kennesaw State has a player who is consistently creating opportunities — and converting them.
The Bernal Wall Has Been Just as Important
While Orozco has been driving the attack, Charlee Bernal has emerged as a major presence on the other end of the field.
The fifth-year goalkeeper from Roswell, Georgia, has taken control of the starting role after splitting time in 2025.
She’s already climbed into the top four in Kennesaw State program history in saves.
Bernal reached another milestone against Auburn on Aug. 27 when she recorded a season-high nine saves.
She currently ranks fourth in CUSA with 42 saves and fifth with a 1.41 goals-against average.
She also made five saves in the conference-opening win over Sam Houston.
That combination gives Kennesaw State two players capable of influencing a match at opposite ends of the field.
Orozco creates the danger.
Bernal tries to keep everything out.
Kennesaw State Finally Gets New Mexico State at Home
Thursday’s match carries a small piece of program history.
It will be the first time Kennesaw State hosts New Mexico State.
The teams have met only once previously, with that matchup taking place in Las Cruces in 2024.
Now the Aggies make the trip to Georgia with both teams looking to build on a winning start to conference play.
New Mexico State snapped a seven-game winless run with its 1-0 victory over FIU.
Junior Milly Eyrich scored the only goal in the 67th minute, while goalkeeper Karolanne Lafortune recorded five saves for the shutout.
Lafortune has made 60 saves this season, a total that ranks inside the top 15 nationally.
So while Kennesaw State has Orozco, New Mexico State has a goalkeeper capable of keeping the Aggies in the game.
What This Means
Thursday is more than another CUSA game.
Both teams enter the matchup with a conference win already secured, meaning another victory would give either side an early advantage as the league schedule develops.
For Kennesaw State, the formula is becoming clearer.
The Owls have an attacking centerpiece in Orozco, a goalkeeper playing at a high level in Bernal and several players capable of contributing around them.
The challenge is consistency.
Kennesaw State has already shown it can produce big offensive performances, including a 5-0 win over Alabama State in August.
In that match, Julia Balchen and Lara Kennedy both scored twice, while Balchen added two assists.
That’s another indication that this isn’t an attack built around only one player.
But Orozco is certainly the player opponents have to find a way to contain.
ASN Take
Kennesaw State has something interesting developing, and Orozco is making it increasingly difficult to overlook the Owls.
Seven goals, 16 points and 35 shots in the opening portion of the season is already impressive.
The five-game goal-contribution streak is even more telling.
She’s not simply scoring in isolated moments. She’s consistently finding ways to influence matches.
And then there’s Bernal.
Having a fifth-year goalkeeper with 42 saves gives Kennesaw State some stability behind an attack that can create problems.
That balance could become particularly important in conference play.
The Owls don’t need every match to turn into a shootout.
They need to create enough chances to let Orozco and the rest of the attack make a difference — while Bernal and the defense keep opponents from doing the same.
Thursday’s matchup against New Mexico State should provide another good test of that formula.
And with both teams coming off conference-opening wins, there’s an opportunity for Kennesaw State to establish itself early in the CUSA race.
Don’t Forget the Defense
Kennesaw State has also shown flashes of just how difficult its back line can be to break down.
Against Stetson on Aug. 16, the Owls allowed zero shots on target for the entire match.
It was the first time Kennesaw State had held an opponent without a shot on target since 2016.
Aubrey Diskin, Paris McCulloch and Ashley Tan each played all 90 minutes in that match, while Maci Stancil and Symone Thomas also logged significant minutes.
That performance resulted in the Owls’ first clean sheet of the season.
While the team will need to continue improving defensively, the ability to combine that defensive organization with Orozco’s attacking production gives Kennesaw State an intriguing foundation.
Up Next
Kennesaw State hosts New Mexico State Thursday at 6 p.m. ET at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium.
The Owls enter the match at 4-4-3 overall and 1-0-0 in Conference USA, while New Mexico State comes in at 2-7-2 and 1-0-0.
For Kennesaw State, the goal is simple: build on the conference-opening win and keep the momentum going.
For Orozco, another productive night could push her already impressive numbers even higher.
Supporting Kennesaw State Athletics
Kennesaw State is also promoting its Champions Fund, a philanthropic initiative designed to support the continued development of Kennesaw State Athletics.
The fund is intended to assist with student-athlete recruitment and retention while supporting investments in coaching, travel, facilities and student-athlete programs involving academics, nutrition, wellness and leadership.
As college athletics continues to evolve, initiatives like this are increasingly important for programs looking to compete and retain talent.
For Kennesaw State, that investment is part of the broader effort to build its athletic programs for the next era.
Related Atlanta Soccer News Stories
- Atlanta Soccer News: Kennesaw State Soccer Coverage
- Atlanta Soccer News: Georgia Women’s Soccer Coverage
- Atlanta Soccer News: Georgia College Soccer Coverage
Kennesaw State has plenty of season left, and Thursday provides another opportunity to see whether the Owls can turn their hot start into sustained conference momentum.
Can Anabel Orozco keep her scoring streak going against New Mexico State? Let us know what you’re expecting from the Owls and share this story with another Georgia soccer fan.
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.