WSOC begins season Friday against Chicago State

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MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University women's soccer team is set to begin the 2020-21 season this weekend with matches against Chicago State and Illinois State at Valley Fields.

The Golden Eagles, under first-year head coach Frank Pelaez, are set to welcome Chicago State on Friday at 7 p.m. Central time before a 4 p.m. CT matchup with Illinois State on Sunday, Feb. 7. Sunday's match will follow the MU men's game against Northern Illinois.

Both matches will stream live on GoMarquette.com with Dan Avington on the call and feature live statistics.

The Golden Eagles, who were picked fourth in the BIG EAST Conference's Midwest Division, return seven of 11 starters from last season but must replace a starting goalkeeper along with a left back and center back.

Junior Alyssa Bombacino returns as Marquette's leading scorer from 2019 during which she scored seven times and posted 15 points. In total MU's returning players accounted for 90 percent of its scoring from 2019.

In net, four-year starter Maddy Henry graduated and must be replaced by three players with a total of just over six minutes of NCAA experience. Sophomore Mel McNamara appeared in two matches as a true freshman, while Mikki Easter redshirted the 2019 season. Freshman Lauren Schill also joins the program from nearby Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

Chicago State went 0-19 in 2019 and was picked last in the 2020-21 WAC Preseason Poll. Senior Sara Quevedo was named to the WAC Preseason Team and led the Cougars with four goals and three assists in 2019.

Friday's meeting at Valley Fields will be the first between Marquette and CSU.

Illinois State is coming off an impressive 2019 season in which it posted a 14-6 overall record and a 6-1 mark to make it to the Valley Championship.

The team returns three-time All-MVC honoree Ashley Santos and two-time All-MVC selection Abby Basler in the midfield, as well as Natalie Vaughn-Low as a forward who was tabbed a member of the 2019 All-MVC Second Team. The Redbirds welcome 11 freshmen to the roster.

MU and ISU played to a scoreless draw in their last matchup on Sept. 14, 2017 at Valley Fields. Marquette leads the all-time series 3-1-1.

Keep up with the Marquette University women's soccer program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWSOC) and Instagram (@MarquetteWSOC) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWSOC).