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Women's Soccer To Host Milwaukee & IUPUI

Women's Soccer To Host Milwaukee & IUPUI
Posted: Oct 06, 2008

Oct. 6, 2008

Contact: Brian McCann

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Match 13
Milwaukee (10-2-2, 2-1) at Cleveland State (4-7-1, 0-2-1)
Date: Friday, Oct. 10, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: UWM Leads, 8-0
Last Meeting: @UWM 1, CSU 0 (11/3/07)

Match 14
IUPUI (6-5) at Cleveland State
Date: Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008
Time: 12:00 noon EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: IUPUI Leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: @IUPUI 2, CSU 1 (9/3/06)

SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State stays at home for its only two-match home weekend of the season. The Vikings open the week by hosting Milwaukee on Friday, Oct. 10 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Krenzler Field. CSU then steps out of league play for the final time this fall when it hosts IUPUI at 12:00 noon on Sunday, Oct. 12. After winning a school-record four straight matches in mid-September, CSU has come back to go just 0-3-1 in the last two weeks.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings played a pair of league matches last week. Here is a synopsis of that contest:

Match 11: Detroit 4, CSU 0 (Oct. 3, Detroit, Mich.)
Four different Titans scored goals as CSU lost its first league match of the year, 4-0 at Detroit. Detroit had an 11-8 lead in shots, but the Vikings could not get on the scoreboard.

Match 12: Loyola 3, CSU 0 (Oct. 5, Krenzler Field)
Loyola scored a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes of the first half and Cynthia Morote-Ariza assisted on all three Rambler goals as CSU dropped a 3-0 decision to Loyola at Krenzler Field. Shannon Saunders made six saves in her first career start.

PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The Vikings have come along nicely under fifth-year Viking head coach Derrek Falor as the return of eight starters from last year's 5-14-1 squad and the addition of 10 newcomers have given CSU its deepest and most talented team to date. Senior Jennifer Wieand (3 assists), CSU's career scoring leader with 32 points, leads the offense with senior Abbie Kakias (1 goal) joining her at forward along with sophomore Sylvia Olsby (1 goal, 1 assist, 3 points). The midfield lineup has been rebuilt with sophomore Allie Riczo (1-0-2), who redshirted last season, and freshman Natalie Daniels (3-1-7) being joined by freshmen Samantha Salamon and Rachel Strongoli (1 assist) starting outside. The defensive lineup is a veteran one with juniors Jessica McCloy and Danielle Ultican getting the starting nod in the middle with senior Maggie Pugliese and freshman Jordan King starting outside. Sophomore Kelly Zinkiewich returns in goal, holding opponents to a 1.90 goals against average, making 55 saves with a school-record three shutouts this fall.

SOMETIMES A TIE IS LIKE A WIN: When the Vikings tied Wright State on Sept. 26 to open the Horizon League season, the tie seemed more like a win, especially when you consider that CSU was tabbed to finish seventh in the Horizon League this season while Wright State was picked third. In the four previous meetings against the Raiders, CSU was out-scored, 17-1, by WSU. CSU is now 1-28-3 in league play, owning a win and a tie against Youngstown State and a tie against both Detroit and Wright State.

TOUGHER AT HOME: The Vikings didn't get any breaks from the Horizon League schedule makers this year as CSU's four home league matches will come against the teams picked to finish first (Milwaukee), second (Loyola), third (Wright State) and ninth (Youngstown State). For CSU to improve on last year's eighth place finish, the Vikings will need to play well away from home where they will play most of the teams picked to finish at the bottom of the standings.

ZINKIEWICH EYES SAVE MARK: With three saves in limited action last week, sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Zinkiewich has moved to within 35 saves of setting the CSU career saves record. Zinkiewich, who has 55 stops in 11 matches, has six more saves than third place Ashley Kidwell and is quickly closing in on the record of 210 saves by Erin Withrow (2005-06).

. . . BUT IT MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT: Setting the career saves mark might have to wait for Kelly Zinkiewich as the sophomore sat out Sunday's loss to Loyola after suffering a mild concussion in the loss to Detroit on Friday (Oct. 3). Zinkiewich was kicked in the head while making a save early in the contest and tried to stay in the match, leaving after allowing a couple of simple goals late in the half.

A WIN FROM THE RECORD: With at least seven matches to play this fall, the Vikings are just a win away from equaling the school record for wins in a season. CSU is 4-5-1 this year and quickly moving in on last year's total of five wins and one tie in 20 contests.

THANK GOODNESS IT'S FRIDAY: There must be something about the end of the week that motivates the Vikings because in the last five weeks, CSU has posted a 3-1-1 record in matches played on Friday. The trend actually started last year when the Vikings were 2-6-1 on Friday, claiming wins over Robert Morris and Youngstown State and a tie vs. Detroit.

SAUNDERS EARNS FIRST START: With Kelly Zinkiewich out of the lineup, sophomore Shannon Saunders earned her first career start in the match vs. Loyola, making six saves.

NEXT UP: The Vikings continue Horizon League play with matches at Green Bay on Friday, Oct. 17 and Valparaiso on Sunday, Oct. 19.