Women's Soccer Opens 2007 Season By Hosting CSU Fall Classic Athletics

Posted: Aug 27, 2007

Aug. 27, 2007

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Match 1
2007 CSU Fall Classic
St. Bonaventure (2-15-1 in 2006) at Cleveland State (3-17)
Date: Friday, August 31, 2007
Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: St. Bonaventure leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: @SBU 4, CSU 0 (9/19/04)

Match 2
DePaul (3-13-2) at Cleveland State
Date: Sunday, September 2, 2007
Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: DePaul leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: @DU 4, CSU 0 (10/22/04)

Other CSU Fall Classic Matches

Friday, August 31
Ohio vs. DePaul, 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 2
Ohio vs. St. Bonaventure, 12:00 Noon

SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State begins its fourth season of intercollegiate women's soccer competition when the Vikings host DePaul, Ohio University and St. Bonaventure for the inaugural CSU Fall Classic. The tourney will be played over two days with Ohio facing DePaul on Friday, August 31 at 3:00 p.m. followed by the Vikings hosting St. Bonaventure at 5:30 p.m. After a day off, the tourney resumes on Sunday, Sept. 2 with Ohio meeting St. Bonaventure at 12:00 noon followed by CSU meeting DePaul at 3:00 p.m. All matches will be played at Krenzler Field.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings played a pair of exhibition contests in preparation to open the regular season this week. Here are a synopsis of those contest:

Exhibition 1: CSU 2, Notre Dame (OH) 1 (Aug. 24, Krenzler Field)
Senior Shayne Back headed home a pass from Heather Clapacs with just 1:12 left to complete a Viking rally from a 1-0 second half deficit. Notre Dame took the lead on a Nikki Tizzano goal in the 53rd minute, but CSU dominated play after that, holding a 19-6 edge in shots (including 13-3 in the second half). The Vikings got the equalizer at the 77:21 mark when freshman Sylvia Olsby finished off a pass from Back from two yards out.

Exhibition 2: Kent State 2, CSU 0 (Aug. 26, Krenzler Field)
Kent State scored a pair of goals off cornerkicks in the first 15 minutes and the Vikings were unable to rally, dropping a 2-0 decision at Krenzler Field. CSU was outshot in the contest, 11-10, with freshman goalkeeper Kelly Zinkiewich making eight saves.

PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The fourth season of Viking women's soccer begins on a promising note as the return of eight starters and 15 leterwinners from last year's team that won a school-record three matches gives head coach Derrek Falor the most depth and experience in program history. The strength of the squad is on offense where the tandem of senior Shayna Back and juniors Abbie Kakias and Jennifer Wieand should allow the Vikings to significantly increase their scoring. Returning midfielders Heather Clapacs and Allie Riczo are joined by newcomers Jessica McCloy and Marley Greiner to give CSU a solid group of playmakers. Depth on defense has been a problem in each of the last three seasons, but Falor has as many as eight skilled defenders to call upon this year. Led by returning starters Maggie Pugliese, Amber Rasmussen and Danielle Ultican, the unit has good experience to build on. Additionally, transfer Emily Arpidone (Virginia Commonwealth) and returners Jocelyn Keefer and Natalie Wilson should fortify the backline. CSU will have a new face in goal as freshman Kelly Zinkiewich takes over as the starter.

WELCOME BACK JEN: The return of junior Jennifer Wieand after missing the entire 2006 season following knee surgery will give the Viking offense a big boost this year. Wieand entered last season as CSU's career scoring leader with three goals and three assists (nine points) and her absence from the lineup limited an offense that was still significantly more efficient from the season before.

FRESHMEN ORIENTATION: One big difference in the Vikings this year is that with eight returning starters, there are few places in the starting lineup for the eight CSU freshmen. In 2005, freshmen started a total of 113 matches (or between 5-6 freshmen starting per match) and last year, the total dropped to just 51 freshmen starts. With the season opener approaching, two freshmen are currently in the starting unit, goalie Kellie Zinkiewich and defender Emily Arpidone.

. . . AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN: The Viking roster this season includes seven players who were part of the initial recruiting class that served as the backbone of the program's first team in 2004. The list includes seniors Shayna Back, Samantha Casey, Heather Clapacs and Amber Rasmussen and juniors Abbie Kakias, Maggie Pugliese and Jennifer Wieand.

CAPTAINS: Senior Heather Clapacs and junior Jennifer Wieand will serve as the Viking team captains this year.

BACK TO HER OLD TRICKS: Senior Shayna Back, who led the Vikings in goals (6) and points (14) last year, had a hand in both CSU goals during the preseason to continue an interesting trend. Back's scoring outburst came on the heels of playing 34 matches as a defender during her first two years, during which time she totalled just seven shots and no points.

NEXT UP: The Vikings start a stretch of four straight road contests when they play a mid-week match at IPFW on Tuesday, Sept. 4. CSU then heads to the east coast for weekend matches at Temple on Friday (Sept. 7) and Delaware State on Sunday (Sept. 9).