Sept. 19, 2005
Contact: Brian McCann
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Match 8
Niagara (5-1-1) at Cleveland State (0-7)
Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: First Meeting
Match 9
Cleveland State at Duquesne (4-1-1)
Date: Friday, September 23, 2005
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Rooney Atlantic Field (4,500), Pittsburgh, Pa.
Series: Duquesne leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: DUQ 1, CSU 0 (9/5/04 at CSU)
Match 10
IPFW (1-5-1) at Cleveland State
Date: Sunday, September 25, 2005
Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: IPFW leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: IPFW 5, CSU 0 (9/24/04 at IPFW)
SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State faces its busiest week in the short history of the women's soccer program, playing threee matches in a six-day span including a pair of home contests. The week starts with a 7:00 p.m. match against Niagara on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at Krenzler Field. CSU heads to Pittsburgh, Pa. to face Duquesne on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. before returning home to close the week against IPFW on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 3:00 p.m. on Krenzler Field.
REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings continued their non-conference slate with a pair of matches last week. Here is a synopsis of those contests:
Match 6: Bowling Green 6, CSU 0 (Sept. 16, Bowling Green, Ohio) BG scored just 3:17 into the match and went on to open up a 4-0 halftime lead. CSU was limited to a season-low three shots.
Match 7: Toledo 5, CSU 0 (Sept. 18, Krenzler Field) Toledo's depth was too much for CSU to overcome as the Rockets used 24 players, helping them to score four second half goals en route to the win. CSU was outshot, 18-6. Erin Withrow made seven saves in goal.
PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: Cleveland State bears little resemblance to the inaugural Viking squad that went 0-20 a year ago, and it is only a matter of time before the program records its first victory. The strength of the Vikings is in the midfield where sophomores Heather Clapacs, an honorable mention All-Ohio choice last year, and Amber Rasmussen and freshman Lisa Conway have helped to control play and create offense. It took CSU just five matches this fall to surpass the four goals it scored during the entire 20-match 2004 season. The offensive increase is due in part to the play of freshman Ashley Walchack and sophomore Ashley Spahn, who share the team lead with two goals each, and redshirt freshman Abbie Kakias, who has come back from major knee surgery to score one goal with one assist this year. The defense has been hurt by the season-ending knee injury to Maggie Pugliese, but the freshmen trio of Callie Carrera, Missy Boehm and Natalie Wilson have helped to stabilize the unit.
SPAHN SETS SCORING MARK: A pair of goals in the final 15 minutes by Ashley Spahn against Valparaiso on Sept. 11 allowed the sophomore to become the first player in school history to score more than one goal in a contest. Prior to her explosion, CSU had never scored more than one goal in a game, tallying single goals on seven different occasions.
. . . AND SPAHN JUMPS UP SCORING CHART: The two goals by Ashley Spahn against Valparaiso also moved her into third place on the CSU career scoring chart with four points. Jennifer Wieand's assist on Sunday allowed her to take over the career scoring lead with six points (2 goals, 2 assists) with Amber Rasmussen dropping to second with five points (1 goal, 3 assists). Spahn is currently tied with Ashley Walchack for third place with four points.
THE A-TEAM: The improved offensive performance of the Vikings this year is largely due to the trio of freshmen Ashley Walchack, Ashley Spahn and Abbie Kakias, who have combined to score all five Viking goals this season. The A-theme is not a new one. Last year, Amber Rasmussen had a hand in all four CSU goals, finishing the year as the team's scoring leader with one goal and three assists.
KAKIAS CELEBRATES RETURN: After sitting out all of last season following reconstructive knee surgery, freshman Abbie Kakias has celebrated her return to the field in fine fashion. In the season opener at Kent State on Aug. 28, she assisted on the first half goal that gave CSU its first-ever lead. She came back the following week to score the lone Viking marker at Ohio University. Kakias was slated to be one of the squad's top defenders last season until she tore the ACL in her left knee during club soccer early in the summer.
FRESHMEN ORIENTATION: For the second straight season, youth is being served on the Viking roster as CSU opened the season at Kent State with 11 freshmen (out of 22 players) on the squad. Six freshman were in the starting lineup for the opener with three more seeing action off the bench. Things have improved since last year when 14 of the 21 players on the roster were freshmen.
. . . AND THE FRESHMEN GRAB STARTING SPOTS: In the first five matches of the season, seven different Viking freshmen have combined to start a total of 45 times, or 58-percent of the starts. Freshmen Ashley Walchack, Natalie Wilson and Erin Withrow, and redshirt freshman Abbie Kakias have each started all seven matches this year.
VIKINGS ARE FINISHED WITH THE MAC: Five of Cleveland State's seven losses this season have come at the hands of Mid-American Conference opponents.
KRENZLER REDEDICATION SET FOR OCT. 2: After undergoing nearly $3 million in renovations since last year, Krenzler Field will be officially rededicated during the home doubleheader on Sunday, Oct. 2. The improvements to Krenzler Field, which has served as the home for Cleveland State soccer since 1985, include the addition of an all-purpose FieldTurf playing surface and a removable air-supported dome that will cover it during the winter months. The dome, a product of Yeadon Domes, will cover the entire length of Krenzler Field, approximately 94,000 square feet, with a 60-foot ceiling. It will be made of a heavy-duty vinyl coated flame-resistant polyester architectural fabric.
NEXT UP: The Vikings open Horizon League play against the two Wisconsin schools. CSU plays at defending champion UW-Milwaukee on Friday (Sept. 30) before returning home to formally rededicate Krenzler Field against UW-Green Bay on Sunday (Oct. 2) beginning at 12:30 p.m.
