Oct. 25, 2011
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Match 18
Cleveland State (9-6-2, 2-3-2 HL) at Wright State (8-6-3, 3-2-2 HL)
Date: Friday, October 28, 2011
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Site: Alumni Field (750) - Faiborn, Ohio
Series: WSU leads, 6-1-1
Last M'tg: @CSU 1, WSU 0 (10/15/10)
SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State closes the regular season on Friday (Oct. 28) when the Vikings play at Wright State at 7:00 p.m. CSU enters the week at 9-6-2 overall and in sixth place in the Horizon League with eight points (2-3-2 record), while Wright State is 8-6-3 overall and in fourth place in the league with 11 points (3-2-2 record). Friday's match will go a long way in determining seeds for the upcoming Horizon League Championship. The Vikings need to secure just one point to clinch a berth in the tournament and could be seeded anywhere from fourth to sixth depending on the outcome of their match with WSU and other league contests on Friday.
REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings played two times last week. Here are brief recaps of the matches:
Match #16: CSU 2, Youngstown State 1 (Oct. 20, Cleveland, Ohio)
Taylor Vidovic scored a pair of goals and Cleveland State secured three key points with a 2-1 win over Youngstown State.
Match #17: CSU 0, Detroit 0 (2 OT) (Oct. 23, Cleveland, Ohio)
CSU and Detroit battled to a scoreless draw over 110 minutes. Becky Williams made four saves to earn her fifth shutout of the season for the Vikings.
2011 SEASON PREVIEW: Coming off the best season in school history, eighth-year head coach Derrek Falor has high expectations for this year's squad. Falor has blended six returning starters and 13 letterwinners with 12 freshmen and three transfers to form this year's team. Headlining the returners is senior Natalie Daniels (3 g, 6 a, 12 pts) who has anchored the midfield. She is joined in the midfield by junior Jaime Avona (3 g, 6 pts) and freshmen Shea Levi (1 g, 2 pts) and Kelcey Fischer (1 g, 1 a, 3 pts). Seniors Samantha Salamon (1 g, 1 a, 3 pts) and Jessica Bound (1 a, 1 pt) add experience and depth in the midfield. The defense is once again strong with the return of second team all-league junior Valerie Stahl (2 g, 1 a, 5 pts) and sophomore Frederike Dubeau (2 a), who was an all-newcomer team pick last year. Senior Marina Taylor, junior Carla Ragone sophomore Sarah Zawie and and freshmen Sabrina Abram add depth to the defense. Up front, Falor has relied on the duo of sophomore Taylor Vidovic (6 g, 1 a, 13 pts), senior transfer Nancy Newcomer (3 g, 6 pts) and freshman Lynsay Strahorn (2 g, 1 a, 5 pts) to provide an offensive burst. Senior Becky Williams (0.96 GAA, 61 svs), a transfer from Ohio Dominican, has stepped in as the starting goalkeeper after the Vikings lost freshman Sarah Wood to a season-ending knee injury.
TOURNEY TALK: With eight points in the Horizon League, the Vikings have not officially clinched a berth in the league tournament. Following are the scenarios of what needs to happen for CSU to clinch one of the six available spots...
• Clinches tournament berth with a point at Wright State.
• Will be No. 4 seed with win at Wright State AND Butler tie/loss vs. Loyola.
• Will be No. 5 seed with win at Wright State AND Butler win vs. Loyola. Will be No. 5 seed with tie at Wright State AND Butler loss to Loyola.
• Will be No. 6 seed with tie at Wright State AND Butler win vs. Loyola. Will be No. 6 seed with loss at Wright State AND a Green Bay loss at Milwaukee.
CHASING A WINS RECORD: With a 9-6-2 mark this season, the Vikings have tied the school record for most wins in a season, which was also set last year when CSU went 9-8-2.
GOALS, GOALS, AND MORE GOALS: Cleveland State is close to setting a school record for most goals scored in a season in program history. With one regular season match left, the Vikings have scored 23 goals - with 10 different players tallying a goal. The school record for goals in a season is 24, set last year.
... AND NOT GIVING THEM UP: The Vikings are also on pace to set a school record for fewest goals allowed in a season with 20 goals against this year. Last year's squad holds the school record with 25 goals allowed.
... AND SCORING TWO OR MORE: CSU has scored two or more goals in eight matches this season, the most in school history. The 2008 and 2010 squads had held the previous record with seven contests of two or more goals. In addition, the Vikings have scored at least three goals three times this year, tied with last year's squad for the most in school history.
TAYLOR MADE: Sophomore Taylor Vidovic scored both goals in CSU's 2-1 win over Youngstown State on Thursday (Oct. 20), giving her a team-leading six goals and 13 points. It was the second time this year Vidovic scored two goals in a match, as she also netted two in a 3-0 win over Ohio (Sept. 4). She is just the third player in school history to have more than one multi-goal game in the same season, joining Shayna Back (2006) and Jennifer Wieand (2007).
DANIELS DISHING IT OUT: Natalie Daniels is ranked fourth in the Horizon League with six assists this year, but is also chasing a CSU single season record. Lisa Conway currently holds the school record with seven assists in 2006. Daniels also had six assists in 2008.
... AND LIKES RECORDS: Natalie Daniels has 12 points (3 goals, 6 assists) this year, allowing her to add to her CSU career records. She enters the final regular season contest as the all-time leader in school history in goals (19), assists (19), points (57), shots (154) and shots on goal (96).
IN THE NET: Senior Becky Williams was out of soccer until joining the Vikings four games into the season to replace Sarah Wood as the starting goalkeeper after Wood injured her knee. Since then, she has started every game in goal, posting a 7-5-2 mark. She is ranked fourth in the league in saves (61) and shutouts (5) and fifth in goals against average (0.96).
OUT OF CONFERENCE: CSU went 7-3 record in nonconference games this year, setting a school record for most nonleague wins in a season. The old record was five set in 2008.
NEXT UP: If CSU clinches a berth in the Horizon League Championship, the Vikings will play a first round game on Tuesday (Nov. 1). If CSU is the No. 4 seed, the Vikings will host the contest. If the Vikings are seeded No. 5 or No. 6, they will play on the road.
