Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, August 28
Scicluna Field
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Eastern Illinois
Soccer Set to Open Season This Weekend at Scicluna Field
8/25/2009 1:00:25 PM | Soccer
EMU will host Eastern Illinois and Indiana State this Friday and Sunday
YPSILANTI, Mich. - The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team is set to embark on the 2009 regular season with hopes of earning the school's first MAC Championship since 2001. With a solid core returning and plenty of experience on the side of coaches and players, this year has the makings of a special one.
The Eagles will open up with Eastern Illinois this Friday afternoon with kickoff slated for 4 p.m. at Scicluna Field. Sunday's match with Indiana State will begin at 1 p.m. It's the second year in a row that EMU will start the season with two straight home matches.
15 YEARS AND COUNTING: The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer program enters its 15th year of existence. The Eagles turned in a stellar season in 2008, going 13-5-5 while making it all the way to the MAC Tournament Championship game before falling to Toledo in a heartbreaking, 1-0, defeat. Head Coach Scott Hall returns for his 11th season at the helm with hopes that a core group of seniors can lead this year's squad to a MAC Championship, something EMU hasn't done since 2001.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS: The Eagles welcome in Eastern Illinois for their season and home opener at Scicluna Field Friday, Aug. 28. Both teams hooked up last season in what amounted to a 4-0 win for EMU in Charleston, Ill. Four different Eagles scored while Maggie Manville needed to make just one save to preserve the shutout. The Panthers are coming off a 3-14-2 season in 2008 where they finished tied for fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference. They enter 2009 with a brand new coaching staff led by Summer Perala who spent the previous six season leading the University of Alabama at Birmingham. So far, the change has paid dividends as EIU got off to a good start with a season-opening win at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Aug. 21.
SCOUTING THE SYCAMORES: Wrapping up a season-opening weekend at home will be a Sunday afternoon tilt with Indiana State. ISU is coming off a 5-15-0 season in 2008, but managed to make it all the way to the MVC Tournament championship game as the sixth seed before falling to top-seeded
Evansville. The Eagles and Sycamores met for the first time in history last season and EMU came away with a 3-1 road victory thanks to a pair of second half goals by Chelsea Detrick. The Sycamores suffered a crushing, 1-0, defeat in their season opener, being snake-bitten by a double-overtime goal at Southeast Missouri State, Aug. 21.
SEASON OPENERS: Since the inception of the women's soccer program in 1995, the Eagles sport an 8-4-2 mark in season-opening games. From 1996-2001, the Eagles built up a six-game win streak in season-openers. In season-opening home lidlifters, the Eagles are 7-5-2 all-time and are looking to break a three-game winless streak after losses to Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and a tie against cross-town rival Michigan last season.
STAR-STUDDED TANDEM IN GOAL: Monique Budani and Maggie Manville return in 2009 to share the load as Eagle netminders. The tandem combined for 10 shutouts last season, which tied for third-most behind Bowling Green and Toledo. Combined, the duo were third in the MAC in goals against average (0.83) and second in saves per game (5.04). Individually, Budani led the MAC with a 0.58 GAA, allowing just six scores in 10 games played in 2008. She also led the league in save percentage, stopping shots at a .902 percent clip.
MAC POLL: The Eagles surpassed expectations last season when they were picked to finish tied for sixth in the 2008 MAC women's soccer preseason coaches poll and then finished as league runners-up after making it all the way to the MAC Tournament championship game. They'll need to exceed those expectations once again after being picked to finish fourth in this year's poll. The three-time defending MAC Tournament champions, Toledo, were selected to win both the MAC regular season and tournament titles, receiving 10 first place votes. Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green split the other two first place votes.
MAC Preseason Poll
1. Toledo
2. Central Michigan
3. Bowling Green
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Miami
6. Kent State
7. Northern Illinois
8. Ohio
9. Western Michigan
10. Ball State
11. Akron
12. Buffalo
The Eagles will open up with Eastern Illinois this Friday afternoon with kickoff slated for 4 p.m. at Scicluna Field. Sunday's match with Indiana State will begin at 1 p.m. It's the second year in a row that EMU will start the season with two straight home matches.
15 YEARS AND COUNTING: The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer program enters its 15th year of existence. The Eagles turned in a stellar season in 2008, going 13-5-5 while making it all the way to the MAC Tournament Championship game before falling to Toledo in a heartbreaking, 1-0, defeat. Head Coach Scott Hall returns for his 11th season at the helm with hopes that a core group of seniors can lead this year's squad to a MAC Championship, something EMU hasn't done since 2001.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS: The Eagles welcome in Eastern Illinois for their season and home opener at Scicluna Field Friday, Aug. 28. Both teams hooked up last season in what amounted to a 4-0 win for EMU in Charleston, Ill. Four different Eagles scored while Maggie Manville needed to make just one save to preserve the shutout. The Panthers are coming off a 3-14-2 season in 2008 where they finished tied for fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference. They enter 2009 with a brand new coaching staff led by Summer Perala who spent the previous six season leading the University of Alabama at Birmingham. So far, the change has paid dividends as EIU got off to a good start with a season-opening win at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Aug. 21.
SCOUTING THE SYCAMORES: Wrapping up a season-opening weekend at home will be a Sunday afternoon tilt with Indiana State. ISU is coming off a 5-15-0 season in 2008, but managed to make it all the way to the MVC Tournament championship game as the sixth seed before falling to top-seeded
Evansville. The Eagles and Sycamores met for the first time in history last season and EMU came away with a 3-1 road victory thanks to a pair of second half goals by Chelsea Detrick. The Sycamores suffered a crushing, 1-0, defeat in their season opener, being snake-bitten by a double-overtime goal at Southeast Missouri State, Aug. 21.
SEASON OPENERS: Since the inception of the women's soccer program in 1995, the Eagles sport an 8-4-2 mark in season-opening games. From 1996-2001, the Eagles built up a six-game win streak in season-openers. In season-opening home lidlifters, the Eagles are 7-5-2 all-time and are looking to break a three-game winless streak after losses to Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and a tie against cross-town rival Michigan last season.
STAR-STUDDED TANDEM IN GOAL: Monique Budani and Maggie Manville return in 2009 to share the load as Eagle netminders. The tandem combined for 10 shutouts last season, which tied for third-most behind Bowling Green and Toledo. Combined, the duo were third in the MAC in goals against average (0.83) and second in saves per game (5.04). Individually, Budani led the MAC with a 0.58 GAA, allowing just six scores in 10 games played in 2008. She also led the league in save percentage, stopping shots at a .902 percent clip.
MAC POLL: The Eagles surpassed expectations last season when they were picked to finish tied for sixth in the 2008 MAC women's soccer preseason coaches poll and then finished as league runners-up after making it all the way to the MAC Tournament championship game. They'll need to exceed those expectations once again after being picked to finish fourth in this year's poll. The three-time defending MAC Tournament champions, Toledo, were selected to win both the MAC regular season and tournament titles, receiving 10 first place votes. Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green split the other two first place votes.
MAC Preseason Poll
1. Toledo
2. Central Michigan
3. Bowling Green
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Miami
6. Kent State
7. Northern Illinois
8. Ohio
9. Western Michigan
10. Ball State
11. Akron
12. Buffalo
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