DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Travels to Western Michigan
9/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO - The DePaul women’s soccer team plays the first of two consecutive road matches on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Demons take on Western Michigan in Kalamazoo at 1 p.m. EST. Next Friday, DePaul starts BIG EAST action at Notre Dame. Last weekend, the team split a pair of home matches, defeating Eastern Illinois and losing to Northern Illinois.
Looking at the Blue Demons: The 2005 season is the 10th year of women’s soccer as a varsity sport at DePaul University... the 1-0 loss to Northern Illinois snapped a five-match streak without a loss at Wish Field dating back to last season... Cara LaRocca was named to the Boiler Challenge Cup All-Tournament team after totaling 14 saves in two matches... Julianne Sitch has scored the lone goal for the Blue Demons this season as the team has been outscored, 8-1, in four matches... the Blue Demons return 15 players and eight starters from the 2004 roster... DePaul’s 15 returners accounted for 39 of the record-setting 46 goals last season... they also accumulated 42 assists and 120 of the team’s 140 points last year... Sitch and Lea Hill are the top returning scorers with 25 points each in 2004... Hill led the team with 10 goals and five assists while Sitch totaled nine goals and seven assists... overall, the top five scorers are back with Hill, Sitch, Erin Walter (4G/10A/18P), Jennifer Dyer (6G/5A/17P) and Lauren Spacht (5G/5A/15P)... head coach John Wilson is in his sixth season at DePaul.
Noting Western Michigan: The Broncos enter Sunday’s match at 1-3-0 after dropping a 4-1 decision at Oklahoma on Friday. The DePaul match is also the home-opener for the Broncos as they have three straight matches after opening the season with a 2-0 victory at Vermont. Stephanie Johnson leads the team with four points on two goals. The Broncos have been outscored 6-3 in their four matches this season. Head coach Mike Haines is in his eighth year leading Western Michigan. The Series: Western Michigan won the first and only meeting between the two programs, 2-1, last year at Wish Field. In that match, DePaul held a 1-0 lead on a Julianne Sitch goal before the Broncos scored in the 88th minute to send the game to overtime. At 97:09, Stacy Rogers scored the game-winner as DePaul was attempting to clear a shot off the crossbar.
Looking Back: DePaul split a pair of home matches last weekend at Wish Field. The Blue Demons efeated Eastern Illinois, 1-0, on Friday before losing to Northern Illinois, 1-0, on Sunday. Julianne Stich scored the game-winner with 17 seconds left in regulation on Friday afternoon. It was her 30th career goal and first of the season. Sunday’s match saw the visiting Huskies push in a goal midway through the second half and hold off the Blue Demons.
Warm-Ups: DePaul posted a 1-0-1 record in the two exhibition matches played prior to the start of the regular season. The Blue Demons knocked off Toledo, 2-0, at the IPFW Soccer Showcase on Friday before tying Loyola-Chicago, 1-1, on Sunday afternoon. Against the Rockets, Kelly DeBaene and Alissa VonderHaar scored goals in the second half to lead the Blue Demons. Sunday’s match with the Ramblers saw a Julianne Sitch corner kick deflected into the goal by a Loyola defender and a second-half goal by the Ramblers for the 1-1 draw.
Preseason Picks: The Blue Demons were picked to finish sixth in Division B of the BIG EAST Preseason Poll. The BIG EAST Conference features a pair of eight-team divisions with the top 12 overall teams advancing to the league tournament. Senior midfielder/forward Julianne Sitch was one of 12 players selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
Looking Foward: DePaul goes on the road for the BIG EAST opener next Friday. The Blue Demons travel to South Bend, Ind., for a Friday night match against defending national champion Notre Dame. DePaul returns to Wish Field the following weekend for a Sunday afternoon match against Central Michigan.
Alumni Weekend: The weekend of Sept. 16 is set as Soccer Alumni Weekend. The weekend kicks off on Friday with the men’s soccer team taking on Georgetown in a BIG EAST match. Saturday has a doubleheader of men’s and women’s alumni games. On Sunday, the men’s team hosts Seton Hall before the women take on Central Michigan. Prior to Sunday’s action, the rededication of Wish Field will take place.
