Marquette University Athletics
Golden Eagles Open Conference Play at USF
9/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 18, 2008
MILWAUKEE -
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The Marquette women's soccer team looks to return to its winning ways this weekend as it splits a pair of matches on the road and at home. The Golden Eagles will first travel to Tampa, Fla., for their BIG EAST Conference opener at USF Friday, Sept. 19, before returning to the friendly confines of Valley Fields to host Pepperdine on Sunday. Game times are set for 6:30 p.m. CT and 2:15 p.m., respectively. The match against Pepperdine is the second of a Marquette soccer doubleheader as the men's team will play No. 5 St. John's at 12:05 p.m.
"It will be another challenging weekend for our squad." said head coach Markus Roeders. "Our focus right now is on USF because any conference match has special meaning. As tough as any BIG EAST match is, playing on the road adds another dimension and challenge. We will have to play at our best to earn a result."
The Golden Eagles are coming off a pair of 1-0 loss against South Carolina and at Auburn last weekend. Despite not being able to find the back of the net, the Golden Eagles owned a 30-24 shots advantage for the two games. Overall, Marquette has out-shot its foes 126-54, with 51 of those attempts being on goal, The Golden Eagles average 18.0 shots per game a mark that ranks fourth in the BIG EAST. In goal, junior Chelsey Turner and red-shirt freshman Natalie Kulla continue to split time. Turner has played 315 minutes in net and has registered six saves, while Kulla has made 10 saves in 343:33 minutes in net.
"Despite our two results this past weekend, we are playing well and our squad has trained hard all week," said Roeders. "We are excited to start the league schedule because every match counts. The confidence is high and that is crucial entering every game."
The Bulls (3-1-2) enter Friday's match on the heels of a 3-2 double overtime win over Illinois State Sunday after tying Stetson, 1-1, on Sept. 11. Members of the Bulls' 18-member freshmen class provided the scoring punch in the two games as freshmen Gina Pacheco and Noelle Pineiro accounted for a goal each. Classmate Chelsea Klotz added two against Illinois State including the game-winner in the 102nd minute. Klotz leads the team with six points.
Goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi has seen all of the action in net and has recorded a league-leading 32 saves and a 0.74 goals against average.
Marquette is 9-2-1 all-time against the Bulls, and 2-1 as members of the BIG EAST Conference. Marquette defeated USF 1-0 in the two teams' last meeting at Valley Fields in 2007.
It will be the first ever meeting between the Golden Eagles and the Waves (3-3-1) of the West Coast Conference, who won back-to-back games last weekend. Pepperdine defeated then-No. 23 Tennessee, 2-0, and Washington State, 1-0. The Waves fired off 30 shots over their last two games including 18 against Washington State, and average 15.6 shots per game.
Senior Amanda Rupp has scored four goals over the last five matches and leads the Waves with nine points. She was named to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week and Soccer America's Team of the Week after her performance against Tennessee and Washington State in which she tallied a goal against the Lady Vols and provided the game-tying assist against the Cougars.
Reigning WCC Player of the Week goalkeeper Lacy Heck is 2-1 on the season with a 0.44 goals against average.
"Sunday's match will be intriguing because Pepperdine is a very good non-conference opponent. We hosted them at Valley Fields a few years ago in the NCAA tournament, but didn't get to play them. They play an attractive style of soccer and it should be a fun match for all in attendance. We encourage fans to come out to Valley Fields Sunday for pair of great matches."
Pepperdine will play at Wisconsin on Friday before heading to Valley Fields.
