Marquette University Athletics
Women's Soccer Set For First-Place Battle
10/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 18, 2001
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For the second straight week, Marquette will enter a battle for the top spot in the league. Last weekend, the Golden Eagles defeated Charlotte, 1-0. Both teams entered the match at 4-0 in Conference USA Play.
This weekend, Marquette, at 6-0 in C-USA action, faces a surging Cincinnati team, who sits at 5-0 in C-USA action. That match is in Cincinnati and is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. (EDT). Marquette also travels to Louisville on Sunday, Oct. 21 for a 1 p.m. (EDT) kickoff.
Scouting Cincinnati
Like Marquette, Cincinnati has been having a very strong season. The Bearcats are currently 9-3 overall and 5-0 in conference play. All three of Cincinnati's losses have been by a 1-0 margin - Indiana, Miami (Ohio) and Butler. In the winning matches, Cincinnati has only allowed one goal to its opponents.
Certainly the backbone of the Cincinnati team is its defense. Senior Christy Hoffman has been a mainstay in goal this year. Her 0.34 goals against average tally is the league's best and is one of the best in the nation. She has made 42 saves this year in recording eight shutouts.
The Bearcats have scored 19 times this year, led by Ann Thomas who has netted six goals and recorded three assists for 15 points.
Scouting Louisville
Last season, Marquette put up a serious offensive output against Louisville, scoring seven times. In contrast to Cincinnati, Louisville is again having trouble keeping its opponents off the scoreboard. On seven occasions, the Cardinals have allowed three or more goals, with UCLA scoring seven in the second match of the year.
Meredith Miller has been in the net all season, allowing 2.71 goals per contest. Amber Jolley and Melissa Wark are tied for the team lead in goals with four each.
In The Polls Marquette holds steady for the second week in a row at no. 18. The Golden Eagles have been as high as no. 17 this season and have been ranked for five of the seven weeks. North Carolina is no. 1. MU is 20th in the Soccer Buzz rankings.
In the NSCAA Great Lakes Regional poll, Marquette continues to be ranked second in the region, behind Notre Dame. Michigan is ranked third in the region. Oakland and Kentucky follow.
Koenig Named C-USA Defensive Player-of-the-Week
Junior goalkeeper Ashleigh Koenig (Naperville, Ill.) was named Defensive Player-of-the-Week for the week ending Oct. 14, the Conference USA office announced. Koenig spurred the Golden Eagles to a pair of shutout victories over Charlotte and East Carolina, recording seven saves. The blankings were Marquette's fifth and sixth shutouts of the season.
Koenig wins the award for the second time in her career, winning the award on Oct. 2, 2000. She is the second Marquette women's soccer player to be named a player of the week. Jill Vendetti was Co-Offensive Player-of-the-Week on Oct. 1.
C-USA Unbeaten Streak
With a 6-0 record in 2001 and a 10-0-1 record in 2000, Marquette has not lost a Conference USA match in over two seasons. Marquette has won five straight C-USA matches and has not lost in 17 conference tilts. The last time Marquette lost a C-USA contest was in 1999 when it lost to Charlotte, 1-0, on Oct. 15.
Gordon Rising in MU Career Categories
Despite being held scoreless in the first two matches of the season, junior Kate Gordon (Sioux City, Iowa) has found the scoring touch in 2001 and has risen in the record book. With five goals and two assists on the year, Gordon has 72 points and has moved into second all time in career points at Marquette. Kelly Roethe, the career leader, is at a distant 123 points. With the five goals this season, Gordon also has upped her career total to 31, moving her into second. Roethe is the career leader at 49 goals.
In the Record Books
Marquette set an NCAA record in fastest time to retaliate to an opponent's goal. Against Illinois, Hollie Schurr scored for the Fighting Illini at 85:14. Six seconds later at 85:20, junior forward Kate Gordon (Sioux City, Iowa) scored off the kickoff from sophomore midfielder Laura Culhane (Brookfield, Wis.). The previous record was 10 seconds each by Ida Hakansson of Eastern Illinois and Holly Toth of Dayton, both in 1999.
Marquette Pair Named Preseason All-Conference
Receiving preseason accolades for Marquette are junior forward Kate Gordon (Sioux City, Iowa) and sophomore midfielder Kristen Jensen (Shorewood, Ill.). Both were named to the preseason All-Conference USA squad.
Gordon, a first team All-Conference and second team All-American in 2000, set a school record for points (40) and goals (17) a year ago as she earned several postseason honors. Jensen scored 12 points on three goals and six assists as she earned first team All-Conference honors in her first collegiate season.
Golden Eagles Tabbed as Preseason Favorites
Marquette has been chosen to repeat as the Conference USA regular season champion in a vote by the league's head coaches. Marquette is predicted to win its third straight C-USA crown.
Marquette ran through the C-USA schedule undefeated in 2000 going 10-0-1, finishing the year at 20-3-1. The Golden Eagles also won the C-USA Tournament for the second straight time to advance to the NCAAs.
Rounding out the top five are Saint Louis, Charlotte, Cincinnati and Houston. C-USA newcomers TCU and East Carolina are picked sixth and seventh respectively.
