EMU Soccer Hits the MAC West Road This Weekend

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Tied with Ball State University at the top of the Mid-American Conference West Division, the Eastern Michigan University soccer team has an important weekend ahead of them, facing two divisional foes. EMU (9-5-1, 5-3-0 MAC) heads to DeKalb, Ill. Friday, Oct. 24, to face Northern Illinois University (5-9-2, 3-3-2 MAC) at 7 p.m. CT. Two days later, Oct. 26, Eastern returns to the Great Lakes State to square off against rival Western Michigan University (9-6-1, 3-4-1 MAC) in Kalamazoo, Mich. at 1 p.m.
   The EMU attack is led by senior forward Angela Vultaggio. The reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Year has recorded team highs in goals (7) and points (16) with both numbers ranking second among conference leaders. Fellow senior Bianca Rossi follows closely behind Vultaggio with five goals and a trio of assists, totaling 13 points. Madison Hirsch, Marisa Kozikowski and Chelsie Oddan are all tied with Rossi in with the team high in assists with three apiece. In goal for Eastern, junior keeper and reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Week Megan McCabe (8-4-1) holds down the defensive side of the pitch. In 12 starts this season, McCabe has posted six shutouts to go along with a 0.90 goals against average. She has made 62 saves for an .838 save percentage.

FINAL HOMESTAND: Closing out the final homestand of the 2014 regular season, the Eagles fell to Kent State University 2-1 in overtime, Oct. 17, before bouncing back with a victory over Ohio University on Senior Day, Oct. 19. In the setback to the Golden Flashes, senior Angela Vultaggio led the EMU offense as she notched her seventh goal of the season, while Bianca Rossi added one assist and one shot on goal. Eastern had an early look at the start of overtime but was unable to capitalize as Kent State's Jamie Eiben sailed a shot into the top left corner of the net past the outstretched hand of Megan McCabe to end the sudden death overtime.
   All eight seniors were penciled into the starting lineup as the veterans led the Green and White to a win over Ohio. Rossi and Chelsie Oddan scored goals for the Eagles, while Jenna O'Dell made five saves against the Bobcats in the final 2014 regular season contest at Scicluna Field. Rossi provided the game's first goal in the 11th minute after a nice pass from Vultaggio, while sophomore Rachel Washburn found Oddan from just outside the 18-yard box for the game-winning goal with just eight minutes remaining in the contest. The Eagles controlled the match throughout, holding an advantage in shots, 20-14, as well as corner kicks, 10-2. With the win, the Green and White finished the home slate with an impressive mark of 6-1-0.

MAC HYSTERIA: With just three games remaining in the 2014 regular season, the MAC jumbled up throughout the standings with eight teams posting two or three conference wins, a stretch of six to eight points with ties entering the equation. However, the Eagles are 5-3-0 in MAC play, sitting atop the MAC West with Ball State. EMU needs just one win over its final three games to secure a spot in the MAC Tournament, but the Eagles have their eyes set on greater prizes. Aside from the MAC West title, Eastern trails Buffalo by four points in the race for the regular season crown with a possible nine points remaining.

GOALS GALORE FOR DYNAMIC DUO: Seniors Angela Vultaggio and Bianca Rossi lead the Eagles in scoring this season with seven and five goals respectively. This is far from uncommon as the two classmates have been EMU's primary offensive threats throughout their four-year careers. In the final homestand of their careers, the duo hooked up on a pair of goals. Against Kent State, Oct. 17, Rossi found Vultaggio in the first half to tie the contest at one goal apiece. Two days later, on Senior Day versus Ohio, Oct. 19, Vultaggio returned the favor with a crisp pass to Rossi in the middle of the box. Rossi did the rest, beating the OU keeper on the left side for the goal. Vultaggio's weekend goal was the 32nd of her career, the third-most in EMU history. Rossi found the back of the net for the 23rd time in her career, passing former teammate Cara Cutaia for fifth on the EMU all-time list.

A NOTICE ON NIU: Northern Ilinois returns home after failing to record a win on a three-game road trip through the conference. The Huskies surged to the top of the MAC West prior to the road swing but now find themselves in third at 5-9-2 (3-3-2 MAC) behind Ball State and EMU. NIU is a young, talented team consisting of 10 freshman, including a pair of first-year student-athletes that lead the way. Lauren Gierman boats a team-high three goals on the year, while Amy Annala holds down the defensive side of the pitch. Annala has made 87 saves this year, the second-most in the MAC, to go along with three shutouts.
   Eastern leads the all-time series with the Huskies, 14-3-2. The Green and White has won the previous six meetings, including a 4-1 victory at Scicluna Field last season, Sept. 27, 2013. Four different Eagles scored goals as Angela Vultaggio led the way with an assist and her fifth goal of the season. Bianca Rossi started the game's scoring with her fourth goal of 2013, and Emily Dzik found the net with a header late in the first half. During the final 45 minutes of play, senior Stephanie Clarke remained perfect on the year in penalty kicks, and Marisa Kozikowski added a pair of assists.

BATTLING THE BRONCOS: Western Michigan enters the week with a 9-6-1 record, including 3-4-1 in conference action. The Broncos will host Bowling Green on Friday, Oct. 24, before facing the Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26. Senior Rachel Chaney leads the charge with a team-high four goals, while fellow classmate Diana Dedvukaj's three assists pace the Broncos. WMU alternated goalkeepers, splitting equal time between junior Kaitlyn Collin and redshirt-freshman Stephanie Herber.
   Eastern holds a slight edge in the overall series, 10-9-4. The two rivals have had their fair share of big matches, especially two during the 2013 campaign. On the final day of the season, Oct. 31, the Eagles invaded Kalamazoo with the MAC regular season title in sight. EMU rallied from a one-goal deficit at the half to score a pair of goal in the final 45 minutes, capturing the conference crown. The in-state foes met eight days later in a MAC Tournament semifinal contest at Scicluna Field, Nov. 8. This time, an early WMU goal was all the Broncos needed to pull off the upset en route to the MAC Tournament Championship.

STATISTICAL LEADERS: Through this point of the 2014 season, multiple Eagles find themselves near the top in conference and national rankings. Angela Vultaggio is second in the conference in goals (7) and points (16). Fellow senior forward Bianca Rossi is also at the top of both categories as she is seventh with five goals and sixth with13 points. In goal, Megan McCabe's six shutouts are tied for second in the conference. To go along with her shutouts, the Arlington Heights, Ill. native boasts a save percentage of .838 for the 50th-best mark in the entire country. Allowing an average of just .898 goals per game, McCabe ranks 87th in the nation.

EMU ANNOUNCES RENOVATIONS TO SCICLUNA FIELD: The Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics has announced renovations to Scicluna Field that include a press box as well as permanent bleachers, Oct. 20. The additions to the home of EMU soccer are expected to be completed by Nov. 1.
   "The new renovations at Scicluna Field are a tremendous enhancement to our soccer facility and will help create an exceptional game day experience for our student-athletes and fans," noted EMU Vice President/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Heather Lyke. "We appreciate the loyal support to our soccer program as the team competes for another Mid-American Conference Championship this year."
   "The additions to Scicluna Field are major steps for our program as we compete against some of the top teams in the nation as well as throughout the MAC year after year," commented EMU Head Soccer Coach Scott Hall. "I would like to thank Director of Athletics Heather Lyke and the rest of the executive team for being strong supporters of Eastern Michigan soccer."
   When the renovations are completed, fans will arrive at Scicluna Field via a new sidewalk that passes the Indoor Practice Facility and travels all the way to the bleachers. The bleachers will have individual seats and is compliant with ADA regulations. The construction of the press box will include a roof top camera deck that will support two camera platforms.
   "The team is thrilled about the renovations, and we hope that our fans will feel the same way," mentioned Coach Hall. "Winning the MAC regular season title last year and having Real Madrid practice on our field this summer to now adding bleachers and a press box at Scicluna Field, it definitely is an exciting time for our program."

FINDING THE NET FIRST: Scoring first can be an important aspect of any game when it comes to momentum, confidence and strategy. In 2013, Head Coach Scott Hall's squad was extremely successful when posting the first number on the scoreboard, managing games efficiently when they are the first to find the net and holding a record of 9-1-1 in those contests. This year is nothing different as the Eagles have scored first in 10 games, compiling a 8-1-1 mark in those contests. EMU also has one come-from-behind win to its credit. Despite Ball State scoring in the seventh minute of the MAC West battle, Sept. 28, the Green and White scored late in the first half as well as early in overtime to complete the comeback victory.

ROSSI LIKES #MACTION: Mid-American Conference games seem to bring the best out of Bianca Rossi. Throughout her four-year career, the senior forward has recorded 16 of her 23 goals in MAC contests. As a freshman, she tied for a team-high four goals against conference opponents before adding five more as a sophomore. During her junior season, Rossi recorded three goals and found scoring opportunities for her teammates with an additional four assists. In her final season donning the Green and White, the Mississauga, Ontario native has recorded four goals in MAC play. Rossi recorded an assist in the 2-0 win over Miami, Sept. 26, before scoring both goals in the Eagles' 2-1 overtime victory against Ball State, Sept. 28. In the victory versus the Cardinals, Rossi's scoring performance was the second multi-goal game of her career as she also scored twice against Oakland during the 2012 season. Most recently, Rossi found the back of the net with less than four minutes to go to help the Eagles soar past the Toledo Rockets, 1-0, Oct. 10, before scoring a goal in the Senior Day victory over Ohio, Oct. 19.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will close out the 2014 regular season with a trip south, crossing the state border to battle the Bowling Green State University Falcons on Thursday, Oct 30. The cross-divisional matchup is set to begin at 3 p.m. Depending on how the rest of the regular season pans out, the Green and White could see its year continue with a MAC Tournament quarterfinal game on Sunday, Nov. 2.

EMILY DZIK NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE 2014 SENIOR CLASS AWARD: Eastern Michigan University senior Emily Dzik has been selected as a finalist for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award, Oct. 21. After being chosen as one-of-30 candidates in September, Dzik made the cut down to the 10 finalists.
   The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 men's candidates and 30 women's candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through November 24. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2014 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup® championships in December.
   An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
   In terms of character, Dzik is a leader for the EMU soccer program. Starting in every game since she arrived on campus as a freshman, she has proven to be a leader on the field. Her teammates look up to her, and she is a team captain for the 2014 campaign. In her final season as an Eagle, Dzik has been a threat on both sides of the field. As a defender, she has played all 1384 minutes of the season thus far and has helped EMU reach the top of the Mid-American Conference West Division. Leading the EMU back line, Dzik has been a primary factor in six shutouts as the Eagles have kept their opponents off the scoreboard. Also, Dzik has shown she has offensive firepower as well, scoring two goals in 2014.
   Dzik is a two-time All-MAC First Team honoree and has started every game of her EMU career. She was named MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, leading the EMU defense that pitched five shutouts throughout the season as the Eagles captured the MAC regular season crown. She started every game for the Eagles, playing 1,930 out of a possible 1,967 minutes. Dzik collected NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Third Team and All-MAC First Team honors for her performance on the pitch, while proving to be an offensive threat on corner kicks as three headers found the back of the net. She was also recognized for athletic and academic success by earning Capital One Academic All-District Second Team and Academic All-MAC accolades.
   As a sophomore, she was named to the All-MAC First Team and Academic All-MAC Team for the first time in her career after starting all 19 games on the EMU backline. The Troy, Mich. native notched two points on the season with a game-winning goal in overtime against Akron, Oct. 21, while also tallying nine shots with four on goal. In her debut season, Dzik was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team, starting all 18 games and recording the most minutes played (1638) of any EMU player. She also tallied a pair of goals and an assist in the EMU backfield during her first season as an Eagle.
   Dzik was a leader among the EMU soccer student-athletes as they became role models for kids on youth soccer teams, running out on the pitch with the Eagles for the starting lineups. Also, in the Eagles' final non-conference match of the 2013 season, Sept. 22, at Scicluna Field against Indiana State, the Eastern Michigan University soccer team recognized the match as Cancer Awareness Day. The Eagles sported teal armbands, headbands and special white jerseys with teal-colored numbers, the color of ovarian cancer awareness. As an upperclassman, Dzik was one of the leaders with this important awareness day. She has volunteered in multiple soccer functions in the summer such as soccer camps and soccer tournaments to help teach, assist, direct, and play with younger kids.
   Dzik excels in the classroom with a difficult major, holding a 3.98 GPA while studying nursing. In 2013, Dzik was recognized for athletic and academic success by earning Capital One Academic All-District Second Team and Academic All-MAC accolades. She also found herself as an Academic All-MAC student-athlete in her sophomore season, the first year eligible for the honor. The Troy, Mich. is an EMU Scholar Athlete with one of the highest GPAs out of all Eastern Michigan student-athletes. Dzik is a member of both the honors college as well as the nursing mentor program, helping younger students adjust to the program and nursing school. She is also a class representative for administration coordination in Child/Family Health Nursing. In her quest to become a nurse after college, Dzik is a current member of the Eastern Michigan chapter of the nationwide Student Nurses Association.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The EMU soccer team enjoys the comfort of playing on its home pitch of Scicluna Field. The Eagles are 6-1-0 at Scicluna Field this season and have posted an impressive 19-7-3 home record over the past three years. Through the program's 20 seasons, the Eagles have compiled a record of 103-45-24 on their home pitch. Scicluna Field has hosted EMU women's soccer competition since the 1995 season.

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Players Mentioned

Stephanie Clarke

Cara Cutaia

Emily Dzik

Madison Hirsch

Marisa Kozikowski

Megan McCabe

Jenna O'Dell

Chelsie Oddan

Bianca Rossi

Angela Vultaggio

Rachel Washburn

Eastern Michigan Athletics