Sept. 24, 2007
Contact: Brian McCann
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Match 10
Robert Morris (3-4-1) at Cleveland State (2-7)
Date: Friday, Sept. 28, 2007
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: RMU leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: @RMU 2, CSU 0 (9/26/06)
Match 11
Green Bay (0-7, 0-0) at Cleveland State (2-7, 0-0)
Date: Sunday, September 30, 2007
Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Krenzler Field (1,680), Cleveland, Ohio
Series: GB leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: @GB 4, CSU 0 (10/20/06)
SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State continues its current three-match home stand this week when the Vikings host Robert Morris on Friday, Sept. 28 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Krenzler Field. CSU then remains at home to open Horizon League play against Green Bay on Sunday, Sept. 30 beginning at 1:00 p.m.
REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings continued non-conference play with a pair of matches last week. Here is a synopsis of those contests:
Match 8: Indiana State 3, CSU 1 (Sept. 21, Terre Haute, Ind.)
ISU scored a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes to break open a tie match enroute to a 3-1 victory. Jennifer Wieand scored in the 67th minute off a pass from Shayna Back to tie the match. CSU was outshot 17-11 with Kelly Zinkiewich making six saves in goal
Match 9: Cincinnati 4, CSU 1 (Sept. 23, Krenzler Field)
Cincinnati scored a pair of goals on breakaways in the first six minutes as the Vikings lost their third match in a row. Heather Clapacs scored her first goal of the season in the 74th minute to avoid the shutout.
PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The fourth season of Viking women's soccer has begun with promising results as CSU owns a 2-7 record with both wins coming on the road. With eight starters and 15 leterwinners from last year's team that won a school-record three matches, head coach Derrek Falor has the most depth and experience in program history. The strength of the squad is on offense where the tandem of senior Shayna Back (4 goals, 3 assists, 11 point), junior Jennifer Wieand (4-2-10) and freshman Sylvia Olsby (2-3-7) have helped the Vikings to significantly increase their scoring. Heather Clapacs leads the midfielders, being 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. Injuries have hurt the defense as Maggie Pugliese and Jessica McCloy have each missed time and junior Natalie Wilson left the team, forcing Falor to move junior Abbie Kakias from forward to help stabilize the unit. Led by returning starter Amber Rasmussen and transfer Emily Arpidone (Virginia Commonwealth), the unit has good experience to build on. CSU has a new face in goal as freshman Kelly Zinkiewich (56 saves) takes over as the starter.
TRIO LEADS VIKING OFFENSIVE ATTACK: The trio of Shayna Back, Jennifer Wieand and Sylvia Olsby are the top scoring trio in the Horizon League this season, combining to score 28 of CSU's 36 points this year. Back leads the way with 11 points to rank fourth in the league in points while Wieand is fifth with 10 points and Olsby tied for eighth with seven points. Of the top 10 scoreres in the league this year, only Wright State has more than one person ranked.
BACK TO HER OLD TRICKS: Senior forward Shayna Back is off to another great start, scoring points in five of the last seven matches to take over the team scoring lead with 11 points (4-3-11). Back, who was held scoreless in 34 matches while playing on defense in each of her first two seasons, led the Vikings in both goals (6) and points (14) last year. She enters the week ranking fourth in the league in points and fifth in points per game (1.22).
CLAPACS FINDS THE NET: It took her 66 matches, but junior midfielder Heather Clapacs finally scored the first goal of her career when she blasted home a shot in the 74th minute against Cincinnati on Sunday. Clapacs, who holds the school record with 102 shots in 66 career matches, has five career assists.
ROAD FIELD ADVANTAGE?: In an unusual twist this year, the Vikings own a 2-3 record on the road but have gone winless in their four home matches. In addition, CSU has scored 10 goals on the road this season and just three at home.
INJURIES: With depth always an issue for the Vikings, injuries have popped up recently that have hurt CSU. Sophomore midfielder Allie Riczo is out indefinitely (undisclosed) while both Jessica McCloy (ankle) and Maggie Pugliese (concussion) missed time last week. Senior midfielder Samantha Casey has yet to play this season because of a recurring leg ailment. In addition, junior defender Natalie Wilson has left the program for personal reasons.
PROOF OF CSU'S IMPROVEMENT: As the Vikings approach the halfway point of the 2007 schedule, CSU has scored 13 goals in the first nine matches, being shutout just twice. Last year, CSU scored 16 times in 20 contests and was shutout 10 times.
NEXT UP: Cleveland State takes to the road for four straight Horizon League road contests, starting with matches at Loyola (Oct. 5) and Wright State (Oct. 7). vx
