Cyclones and Westerwinds Visit Wish Field
9/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO - The DePaul women’s soccer program looks to maintain winning records against the Cyclones and Westerwinds this weekend. Still looking for the first win of the season, the Blue Demons invite Iowa State and Western Illinois to Wish Field. Contest with the Iowa State Cyclones begins at 4 p.m. on Friday while kickoff with the Westerwinds is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Noting the Blue Demons: The Blue Demons have returned 16 players and added 12 newcomers for the 2008 regular season... senior Shannon Williams returned as the top scorer having led the team with 16 points, seven goals and two assists in 2007... sophomores Callie Hemming and Tara Strickland combined for five goals and three assists last season... with an assist in the home-opener against Loyola-Chicago, Williams moved into a tie for 10th all-time with 19 points (8G, 3A)... Strickland and Dominique Locascio have scored both goals for the Blue Demons this season... freshman Morgan Celaya leads the team with eight shots... the 0-4 start to begin the 2008 season marks only the fourth time in team history where the program has opened the slate with four losses (1996, 1997 and 2000)... since 2002 the team has posted a record of 25-24-3 in matches at Wish Field... head coach Erin Chastain is in her second season with the Blue Demons having gone 5-13-1 in her first campaign... the 2008 slate is the 13th season for the women’s soccer program.
Scouting Iowa State: The Cyclones stand at 0-2 after grabbing two defeats at the Illini Challenge Cup to begin the 2008 regular season... the team fell 3-1 to then-ranked No. 18-Illinois in the season-opener and 4-1 to BIG EAST foe Pittsburgh... the team returns seven starters, 10 letterwinners and welcomes eight new members... juniors Lauren Odino and Elise Reid lead Iowa State having scored both goals on the season... Odino and Reid also tallied two goals and one assist each during two preseason matches... ISU was picked to finish 10th in the BIG 12 preseason poll... Wendy Dillinger is in her first year with the Cyclones. The Series: Friday is the fourth meeting between both teams... DePaul holds a 2-1-0 advantage having won the last match 2-0 on Sept. 7, 2003.
Checking on Western Illinois: The Westerwinds enter this week’s action at 1-1-0 after falling at Iowa 1-0, Aug. 29 and netting seven goals in the home opener against St. Ambrose (7-1 win)... freshman Alyssa Johnston and sophomore Jenn Sheehan each knocked in two goals... the team returns eight of last year’s starters, including six All-Summit League honorees from a team that reached the Conference Championship the last two years... WIU has won the last 11 matches at home in Macomb... Western Illinois was selected second in the Summit League preseason poll... head coach Tony Guinn is in his second year at the healm of Westerwind soccer. The Series: Sunday will be the fifth contest between the two teams... DePaul has a winning record of 3-1-0 after winning the last two matches, 3-1 on Sept. 2, 2001 and 2-1 on Oct. 6, 2002.
Previously: Michigan State (Aug. 29) - DePaul suffered its first shutout of the season as the team fell 3-0 to MSU last Friday. The Spartans stunned the Blue Demons with two goals within the first 15 minutes of the match. Lauren Hill kicked in two of the goals for Michigan State (3rd and 13th minutes) before the insurance goal was added by Cara Freeman at 80:55. DePaul outshot MSU 8-6, Mogan Celaya took a team-high four shots and teams were even on corner kicks with one a piece. Toledo (Aug. 31) - The Blue Demons dropped another game via shutout as the Rockets netted two goals in a 2-0 upset. Toledo’s Molly Cornw ell led Toledo with a pair of goals, kicking in the game-winner 82 seconds into the match. Lauren Pagone came close to tieing the game with a header in the 31st but DePaul was still outshot (11-7) and took fewer corner kicks (6-4).
Exhibition Recap: DePaul picked up the victory against Eastern Illinois in its lone exhibition match on Aug. 16. The teams played scoreless over the first 80 minutes until Taylor Nieling’s free kick from 35 yards out found Lauren Pagone in front of the frame. Pagone got the ball past the Eastern Illinois keeper to score the game-deciding goal at 80:43. Kelsey Hoinkes (1sv) and Brittni Lally (2sv) combined on the shutout for the Blue Demons.