Women’s Soccer Schedule – Friday, Sept. 28
Green Bay at Wright State, 5 p.m. ET
Valparaiso at Cleveland State, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 29
Milwaukee at Youngstown State, 12 p.m. ET
Sunday, Sept. 30
Indiana State at Green Bay, 1 p.m. ET
Loyola at Detroit, 1 p.m. ET
INDIANAPOLIS – Horizon League matches are littered throughout the weekend, with four matches playing an important role in determining the seeding for the conference tournament.
On Friday, Wright State (6-2-3, 1-0-0 Horizon) will look to assert itself as one of the teams to beat in the conference, hosting Green Bay (3-6-0, 0-1-0 Horizon) at Alumni Field.
The Raiders are coming off their first win in Milwaukee since 1989, a win that potentially gives them a key tie-breaker if they can stay at the top of the League standings. Meanwhile, the Phoenix are trying to break a two-match skid, the last a tough 1-0 defeat to Detroit.
Through 11 matches, Wright State boasts the kind of numbers one would expect from a team with 21 points – the Raiders are first in goals (19), assists (16), saves (58) and are second in goals-against average (0.59).
Green Bay will look to slow Ini Umotong and Emilie Fillion, who rank first and third in the League in points; Umotong tallied her first career hat trick in a 5-0 win over IPFW on Monday, vaulting her to the top of the League points chart at 14. Fillion is third with 10 points.
Brooke McCurdy’s 87.7 save percentage ranks first in the League, while Green Bay keeper Katy Pilarzyk has made 37 saves on the year, fourth in the conference in her first season in goal.
Also on Friday, Valparaiso (6-3-1, 0-0-0 Horizon) will make its first foray into League play this year, traveling to Cleveland State (3-7-0, 0-1-0 Horizon).
The Vikings will try to crack a Valparaiso defense that ranks among the best in the country, allowing just 0.59 goals per match. Keeper Kristin Manski leads the League with six shutouts.
Leading the offensive attack for Cleveland State will be Vickie Havas, who as a freshman ranks second in the Horizon League with 12 points (4 goals, 4 assists).
Saturday will see a Youngstown State (5-4-0, 0-0-0 Horizon) squad open its conference season by welcoming Milwaukee (2-6-1, 1-0-0 Horizon) to Stambaugh Stadium.
Both teams are coming off of losing-streak snapping wins, with YSU posting a 3-1 win over Cedarville, while Milwaukee collected a 2-0 victory at Detroit on Thursday.
Kelly Lewers had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who returned to a similar form that saw them reign atop the Horizon League for the last decade-plus.
The Penguins have racked up 15 goals on the year, the second-best total in the Horizon League, with Chelsea Haney and Rachel Morrison leading the team with eight and seven points, respectively.
Meanwhile, Lewers ranks as Milwaukee’s top scorer with nine points on the year.
On Sunday, Loyola (6-4-1, 1-0-0 Horizon) takes its six-match unbeaten streak to Detroit (4-5-1, 1-1-0 Horizon), where the Titans will try to rebound from a tough loss on Thursday.
Throughout the Ramblers’ streak, they have won five matches by one goal, never surrendering more than one goal. Detroit has scored more than one goal in four of its 10 matches this season.
Detroit’s aggressive attack will test Loyola, as the Titans are tied for third in the League in goals, with 14 to Loyola’s nine. Kaitlyn Quarrell and Haley Burtraw have paced the Titans’ attack, while Loyola’s depth has carried the Ramblers throughout the year.
In the nets, Nora Abolins takes a 0.76 GAA into her matchup with Monica Gonyo, who brings four shutouts into Sunday.
