Women's Soccer Opens the 2007 Season Against Washington

Aug. 29, 2007

MILWAUKEE -

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The Marquette women's soccer team will open the 2007 season Friday, Aug. 31, when it hosts the University of Washington at Valley Fields, at 8:15 p.m. It is the first of two home games for the Golden Eagles as a part of the 8th Annual Milwaukee Cup. Marquette will play Indiana State University on Sunday, Sept. 2, at 1 p.m., also at Valley Fields.

After a productive preseason, which saw training in less than ideal weather conditions, the Golden Eagles are ready for competition. Marquette will look for its third consecutive Milwaukee Cup title, fourth overall when it takes the field Friday and Sunday.

The Golden Eagles are 6-6-2 all-time in season openers and 6-4-1 under head coach Markus Roeders. Marquette stands 5-3-1 when its season debut is played at Valley Fields. The Golden Eagles have won their last two consecutive season openers with wins over no. 13 Illinois (1-0) in 2005 and Bowling Green (3-0) in 2006.

"We are ready to start playing some games after a very productive and enjoyable pre-season period," said head coach Markus Roeders who is entering his 12th season at Marquette. "The ladies have bought into what our foundation will be for the year. We have had some injuries and getting those players back in the near future will add depth and experience to the roster. In the meantime, a younger group will take on the challenge versus Washington and Indiana State this weekend. We have a chance to claim a trophy and that brings added excitement. Washington is a very good team from the strong Pac 10 Conference and it should be a great match for the fans and us. Indiana State has an excellence coach and they will be tough with a well-balanced group of players. Both games will require our team to bring their best soccer and we will be prepared to play at home this weekend."

Marquette, who was tabbed no. 30 in the Soccer Buzz preseason poll and received votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) poll, welcomes back seven starters and 79 percent of its scoring from 2006 including second team All-BIG EAST honoree Allison Mallams who led the Golden Eagles with 24 points on eight goals and eight assists. Up top, Mallams will be joined by fellow senior Christy Zwolski who was named to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) National Team in July. Zwolski was second on the team with five goals and seven assists for 19 points in 2006.

In goal, senior Laura Boyer will command the net again for the Golden Eagles. Last season, Boyer ranked sixth in the league with a 0.74 goals against average, along with tallying 70 saves and registering six shut outs. Boyer ranks fifth all-time on Marquette's all-time saves list with 182.

Twelve newcomers including an 10-member freshmen class that was ranked the 23rd best in the nation according to Soccer Buzz will join the Golden Eagles this fall. The class ranked third in the Great Lakes Region and third in the BIG EAST. In the BIG EAST, only Notre Dame and Connecticut were ranked higher.

Washington, picked ninth in the Pac-10 Preseason Poll, returns eight starters from last year's team that went 7-12-1, including a quartet of players that started all 20 games. Offensively, Washington welcomes back its top-five scorers, paced by junior forward Melissa Beal who led all Huskies in goals during each of her first two seasons. The Huskies played one exhibition match prior to its trip to Milwaukee and defeated British Columbia, 4-1.

The Sycamores were picked to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll after a fifth-place showing least season. They return nine starters and their top three scorers, led by all-league second team honoree Joyce Dawitiak (5g, 2a). Indiana State played one exhibition match, losing to Ball State, 2-1. Indiana State will play Wis.-Milwaukee on Friday.

Tickets will be available for sale at Valley Fields for both games.