No. 22 Golden Eagles Open Four-Game Road Trip
10/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 15, 2009
MILWAUKEE -
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The No. -/22/- Marquette women's soccer team takes to the road this weekend to start four-game road tilt to close out regular season play. The Golden Eagles will enter cross-divisional play first at Cincinnati on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT, before taking on Louisville Sunday at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT.
"Our team has a challenging weekend ahead of us," said head coach Markus Roeders. "Cincinnati and Louisville are both tough squads and in those games we have to bring 100 percent and focus so we can get the results we have in mind. Considering our recent performances, we are getting better and if we can keep building and being consistent, good things can happen. Offensively, we continue to create chances and have to put them away. If we do it earlier in a game, we may find that our play will rise to another level. Throughout the year, our team has shown that we play strong on the road and we know that it is always a bit more difficult. We have four BIG EAST matches remaining and if we do our part, we will be rewarded at the end of the year."
The Golden Eagles currently sit in a tie for fourth place in the American Division with 11 points and a 3-2-2 BIG EAST Conference record following a dramatic 3-2 double overtime victory over Connecticut and a 0-0 draw with Providence in its last weekend of play.
Sophomore Rachael Sloan leads the Golden?Eagles' attack with 11 points on four goals and three assists. Junior defender Lauren Thut continues to involve herself in MU's offense as she is third on the team with six points on one goal and a team-best four assists for the season.
Speaking of defense, MU's stifling backline has been superb this season, registering a league-best nine shutouts. Nationally, the Golden Eagles are No. 30 in team goals against average (0.63), while goalkeeper Natalie Kulla stands at No. 34 with a 0.63 GAA.
Entering Friday's contest, Cincinnati is 7-7-1 overall and sixth in the BIG EAST National Division with a 2-4-1 mark. Emily Hebbler leads the Bearcats with 12 points, while Kendall Loggins follows with 11 points. Each has scored five goals on the season. The Bearcats have lost at home only once in 2009, dropping a 2-1 decision against Notre Dame on Sept. 25. Cincinnati goalkeepers Andrea Kaminski and Rachel Barnette, have given up 21 goals and have a combined 94 saves on the season. The Golden Eagles are 10-8-3 all-time against the Bearcats.
"Cincinnati is tough and particularly dangerous on set plays. Cincinnati has been scoring goals and they have had some strong results especially at home. We will have to deal with their turf field and the energy they bring into each match," said Roeders.
Louisville, with one win in BIG EAST play (1-6-0), sits in seventh place in the National Division standings. The Cardinals have put away 10 total goals on the season, with Lindsay Boling, Giselle Mangal and Jennifer Jones each scoring two. Taylor Vancil, who has played every minute in every match this season, has come up with 46 saves while allowing 17 goals. Marquette is 11-6-1 all-time against the Cardinals.
"Louisville is a young squad that hasn't scored many goals but they are dangerous. They have been in many tight matches and could erupt for a few goals any game. We will need a strong performance to beat them, something we haven't done for one reason or another the last couple of years. We know our team is good and it is time to back it up with some strong play this weekend," said Roeders.
The game against Louisville will be broadcast locally in Louisville on WHAS-TV.
