Marquette University Athletics
Women's Soccer Back in Swing of C-USA Play
10/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 9, 2003
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Upcoming Matches
Oct. 10 at Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, 7 p.m. EST
Oct. 12 at Louisville, Louisville, Ky., 1 p.m. EST
The time to act is now for the Marquette women's soccer team. With just seven contests remaining - six of which are in league play - the Golden Eagles need to push toward the finish. Sitting at 2-2 in Conference USA action, Marquette has the opportunity to make a move on the standings.
To do so, the Golden Eagles first must contain Cincinnati and Louisville. The preseason favorite to win Conference USA, the Bearcats have struggled. Cincinnati is looking to make a late-season run to qualify for the eight-team Conference USA Tournament. However, Myers Field is never an easy place to play. Things won't get much easier at Louisville who is proven to be a stingier foe than last year.
Scouting Cincinnati
Cincinnati was the preseason C-USA favorite by the league coaches. With the league standings turned upside down, Cincinnati is struggling to survive in league play. The Bearcats are 3-8-1 overall and 1-3 in league play, a game behind Marquette. UC's offense has been its downfall this year. The Bearcats have struggled to score, netting 12 goals on the year, just one per match. Only one UC player has multiple strikes, Tasha Wagner who has four goals on the year. Cincinnati is also breaking in a new starting goalkeeper this year. Sherry Slye has a 1.68 goals against average rating with 48 saves in 11 starts.
Scouting Louisville
At the halfway point in the season, Louisville has shown it has made improvements. The Cardinals are 5-4-2 and own a 1-2-1 league mark. A three-match win streak early in the year was followed by a three-match winless streak. Louisville is 2-1 in its last three. It meets Murray State on Friday before playing Marquette. Louisville hasn't had more than one goal in its last seven matches. Goals have been a premium for the Cards since back-to-back five goal outings against Morehead State and Youngstown State. Jamie Craft has six of the Cardinals' 16 goals on the year. Meredith Miller has shown improvement in goal. She has a 1.22 goals against average rating, down nearly a goal from last year.
In The Polls
Marquette is still awaiting a return to the NSCAA regional rankings. MU also dropped from the Soccer Buzz regional ranking. Notre Dame tops the regional rankings in both polls.
McGill Gets on the Board
Freshman forward Beth McGill (Omaha, Neb.) became Marquette's go-to player in a three-match span. In four days, McGill recorded her first two collegiate goals. She scored the match-tying goal against Wis.-Milwaukee on Sept. 24 and scored the winner against Memphis on Sept. 28.
Loughrin has Big Week
Freshman forward Alison Loughrin (Appleton, Wis.) has made her mark on Marquette women's soccer. She scored two of Marquette's three goals during a two game span. She scored tying goals against Wis.-Green Bay and Tulane to mark the first strikes of her college career.
Solid on the Defense
A question mark heading into the year with so many newcomers, the Marquette defense has made its presence felt. Through four matches, Marquette allowed just one goal. This was the fewest goals allowed in program history this late in the year. Marquette allowed two goals through four matches in the 2000 season. Currently, MU is allowing 1.04 goals per match.
Klopp Strikes Again
Senior forward Carolyn Klopp (Glendale, Wis.) became MU's first multi-goal scorer of the season when she struck the first goal against Oakland. Klopp also scored against Vanderbilt and provided the match winner in both. Klopp already has tied her second best goal scoring season when she had two last year. She's on pace to set a career season best. She had four goals in the 2000 season, her freshman year.
Tournament Title Winners
After a second place finish in the Milwaukee Cup, Marquette won the Nike Michigan Invitational, which had a strong field. MU tied with 15th-ranked USC, 0-0. and won the tournament with its 2-0 win over Oakland. MU won the tournament on goal differential. USC defeated Michigan by one goal and was also 1-0-1 in the tourney, but MU had a +2 goal differential.
Bissen Pitches Shutout in First Start
Senior goalkeeper Katie Bissen (Maple Grove, Minn.) made three saves and more importantly kept Vanderbilt off the scoreboard in a 1-0 win on Aug. 29, her first career start. Bissen became just the second keeper in Marquette women's soccer history to record such a feat. Ashleigh Koenig was the first player to do so, shutting out Charlotte on Oct. 1, 2000.
Preseason All C-USA Selections
Two Marquette players were selected among the 11 chosen to be Preseason All C-USA. Seniors Anne Ioder (Hartland, Wis.) and Kristen Jensen (Shorewood, Ill.) were picked among the league's elite players. Jensen was third team All C-USA last year and first team each of her first two-years. She is coming off a one goal, three assist year as a central midfielder. Ioder was selected second-team all-league each of the last two years. She was a C-USA all-freshman selection as well. She is coming off a two goal, two assist year.
