Cleveland State at Duquesne
Friday, August 13 | 4 p.m.
Krenzler Field | Cleveland, Ohio
Presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine
Free Kicks
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's soccer team will take the pitch on Friday, August 13 at 4 p.m. for their final tuneup match against Duquesne. Following Friday's exhibition contest, the Vikings will face off against the Kent State Golden Flashes for a regular season-opening, under-the-lights, contest on Thursday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. Fans at the Green and White's first regular season match will be treated to free, unlimited, bacon, while the first 100 students will receive a Cleveland State t-shirt.
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
...Give the Green and White their first exhibition win over Duquesne since the 2017 season. Cleveland State took down Duquesne 2-1 in its lone preseason matchup at Krenzler Field.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Duquesne is coming off of a 3-5-1 abbreviated season this past spring, in which it played league front-runners Saint Louis and Dayton twice apiece. The Dukes are set to return senior goalkeeper Megan Virgin, who earned A-10 Defensive Player of the Week honors in March. Virgin made a season-high eight saves to help Duquesne tie Dayton and followed that performance with a clean sheet against St. Bonaventure. In the ensuing match with nationally-ranked Saint Louis, the Canon-McMillan alum posted five saves in a 1-0 loss to the Billikens.
THE LAST MEETING BETWEEN CLEVELAND STATE AND DUQUESNE
The Vikings fell in their last outing against Duquesne, 2-0, in a 2019 exhibition contest. Duquesne holds the edge in all-time regular season series wins, 3-1, with a 2-0 home record.
THE LAST TIME OUT (REGULAR SEASON)
The Green and White took down Detroit Mercy in the final game of the 2021 spring season, 7-0. A program-record seven different Vikes scored goals in the #HLWSOC dual, while the seven goals tied a program record for most goals scored in a single game (7 vs. Chicago State, 8/23/15). Elena Gutlove, Kathryn Ramicone, Ja'Maya Ward, McKenna Donahue, Elizabeth Harper, Maia Ransom and Abigail McKeown all found the back of the net for the Green and White.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Seniors Essence Canady and Helena Novatsidis have been named the captains of the Cleveland State women's soccer team, head coach Dallas Boyer announced.
- Canady, who enters her fifth year as a member of the Vikings women's soccer program, has appeared in 50 games (48 starts) over her four-year career, tallying six goals and two assists for 14 points. The North Huntingdon, Pa., native, saw her most productive season during the 2019-20 campaign, netting three goals and tallying two assists in 13 matches (12 starts).
- Novatsidis is set to begin her fourth season suiting up for the Green and White. Over her three-year Cleveland State career, the midfielder has seen action in 21 games (one start). Novatsidis made her sole start during the 2019-20 season on Sept. 15 against Canisius. The newest captain tallied her lone career assist in a 3-0 win over NKU that same season (Oct. 12).
#HLWSOC AWARD WINNERS RETURN
Kathryn Ramicone (Freshman of the Year) and Maddie Young (All-Horizon League First Team) are set to return to the pitch for the Green and White this season.
- Ramicone was on fire to end the season, scoring four goals to go along with an assist over her final three matches, all wins for the Vikings. The Strongsville, Ohio native finished as the top point scorer in the conference with 14 thanks to five goals, which tie her for the league lead, paired with four assists.
- Young scored four times and distributed three assists during a month-long five-game point streak from Feb. 10 through March 10. With four goals and four assists on the season, Young finished as Cleveland State's second-leading scorer and tied for third in the Horizon League points race.
THE 2021 SCHEDULE
Cleveland State will play in a "normal" 20-match fall schedule. The Vikings will begin their season with a home contest against Kent State on Thursday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. In honor of the team's return to Krenzler Field, Cleveland State Athletics t-shirts will be given away to the first 100 CSU students in attendance, in addition to free bacon. Cleveland State will face off against all 11 #HLWSOC opponents throughout the course of the season, with six home matches and five road contests. Boyer's squad will open league play on Thursday, Sept. 16 versus IUPUI at 6 p.m. at Krenzler Field.
THE 2021 PROMO SCHEDULE
Click here for the complete women's soccer promotional schedule: https://csuvikings.com/2021WSOCPROMO
