DePaul University Athletics
Women's Soccer Travels to Eastern Illinois and Drake
8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S SOCCER
DePaul (1-1-0) at Eastern Illinois (1-1-0)
Friday, Sept. 1 - 4:30 p.m.
Lakeside Field - Charleston, Ill.
DePaul at Drake
Sunday, Sept. 3 - 1 p.m.
Cownie Soccer Complex - Des Moines, Iowa
Weekly Notes | Live Stats: Sunday at Drake
CHICAGO - Following a pair of home matches at Wish Field to start the 2006 campaign, the DePaul women’s soccer team hits the road this weekend for games at Eastern Illinois and Drake. The team opens the weekend on Friday in Charleston, Ill., to face the Panthers before heading west to Des Moines, Iowa, for a Sunday afternoon clash with the Bulldogs. DePaul split matches against Northwestern and Eastern Washington last weekend to start the season at 1-1-0.
Noting the Blue Demons: Junior Jennifer Dyer has scored goals in each of DePaul’s first two matches... with the two scores, she is now tied for eighth all-time in DePaul with eight career goals... freshman Shannon Williams scored her first collegiate goal against Eastern Washington... Lea Hill leads the club with two assists... she is now tied for fourth in school history with nine career helpers... the 2006 season is the 11th year of women’s soccer as a varsity sport at DePaul University... starting his seventh season, head coach John Wilson returns 14 players and eight starters from a year ago... DePaul is scheduled to play 18 regular-season matches with 10 games at Wish Field in 2006... sophomore Alissa VonderHaar is the top returning scorer with eight points on four goals in 2005... Dyer is the returning assist leader after compiling four a year ago… the Blue Demons are 18-8-1 in the last three-plus seasons in matches at Wish Field.
Scouting Eastern Illinois: The Panthers stand at 1-1-0 following a weekend split with a 1-0 loss at Western Illinois and a 3-2 win at Indiana State... Karisa Brenner, Alexis Miller and Michelle Steinhaus scored in the victory over the Sycamores... Trisha Walter is the top returning scorer from last season with nine points on three goals and three assists in 2005... head coach Tim Nowak is in his second season in Charleston... the Panthers were picked to finish second in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference poll. The Series: Eastern Illinois leads the series, 5-2-0... the Blue Demons have won two of the last three meetings, including a 1-0 win at Wish Field last season.
Checking on Drake: The Bulldogs host a pair of BIG EAST teams this weekend starting with Marquette on Friday followed by the Blue Demons on Sunday... Drake stands at 1-1-1 with a tie at Valparaiso, a loss at Minnesota and a win at Iowa State... Liz Woerle has already scored four goals in the three matches this season to lead the team... head coach Corbin Stone is in his fifth season and started the women’s soccer program in 2002... Drake was picked to finish second in the preseason poll for the Missouri Valley Conference. The Series: Sunday is the first meeting between the Blue Demons and Bulldogs.
Previously: Eastern Washington (Aug.27) - Jennifer Dyer and Shannon Williams scored first-half goals for DePaul while Cara LaRocca notched her first shutout of the season. Dyer tallied the eventual game-winner in the 32nd minute followed by Williams in the 43rd minute. The Blue Demons outshot the Eagles, 25-7, while LaRocca made five save. Northwestern (Aug. 25) - DePaul opened the season with a 2-1 loss at Wish Field. Jennifer Dyer scored in the 83rd minute while Cara LaRocca finished with a career-high 11 saves. The Blue Demons were outshot, 20-5, and Northwestern attempted 16 corner kicks.
Warm-Ups: DePaul played Central Michigan to a 1-1 tie in the team’s lone exhibition match last weekend. The exhibition draw took place at the IPFW Soccer Showcase in Ft. Wayne, Ind. Following an own goal to give Central Michigan a 1-0 lead, Kelly DeBaene tied the match in the 49th minute. Nine of DePaul’s 12 shots were on goal.
Looking Forward: Following this weekend’s action, DePaul hosts Southeast Missouri State on Aug. 8 before taking a trip to Northern Illinois on Sunday, Sept. 10. BIG EAST play starts the weekend of Sept. 15 with a home match against Notre Dame followed by a non-conference game with Loyola-Chicago.
Preseason Picks: In the annual preseason coaches poll and all-conference teams, the Blue Demons were picked to finish in a tie for sixth in the National Division. Notre Dame was early pick in the National Division while Connecticut was selected as the preseason favorite in the American Division.
2006 BIG EAST Championship: The semifinals and championship of the 2006 BIG EAST Women’s Soccer Championship will take place in Storrs, Conn., on the campus of the University of Connecticut. The first round and quarterfinals matches will be hosted by the higher-seeded team beginning on Oct. 25. The champion receives the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship.
