EMU Soccer Ready for Two Home Games on Homecoming Weekend

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University soccer team will look to get back on track after dropping a pair of Mid-American Conference contests on the road last weekend. The Eagles (6-4-1, 2-2-0 MAC) return home to Scicluna Field to battle a pair of MAC West Division foes, hosting the Rockets of Toledo (4-7-1, 1-3-0) on Friday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. before renewing the rivalry with Central Michigan University (2-9-1, 0-4-0 MAC) Sunday, Oct. 12 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 (6) and points (13) with both numbers ranking third among conference leaders. Fellow senior Bianca Rossi follows closely behind Vultaggio with three goals and a pair of assists, totaling eight points. Meanwhile, Madison Hirsch and Chelsie Oddan pace the Green and White in assists with three apiece. In goal for Eastern, junior keeper Megan McCabe holds down the defensive side of the pitch. Through the first nine games of the season, McCabe has posted four shutouts to go along with a 0.97 goals against average. She has made 50 saves for a .833 save percentage.

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS: Not only was the weather terrible for Eastern's two games last weekend, but the outcomes were not what the Green and White hoped for as well. In a torrential downpour, the Eagles saw their five-game unbeaten streak come to an end, Oct. 3, as the University of Akron claimed a 2-1 decision at FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field. The setback was the first Mid-American Conference loss of the season for EMU. Akron scored once in each half, and Angela Vultaggio recorded EMU's lone goal in the 81st minute. In Eastern's first penalty kick of the season, the senior netted her team-leading sixth goal of 2014.
   Two days later, the rain did not let up as the Eagles fell to Buffalo, 2-0, Oct. 5. EMU was held scoreless for just the second time this season as Buffalo scored once in each half and UB goalkeeper Laura Dougall made five saves to record her seventh shutout of the season. The Green and White tallied eight shots throughout the match as seven Eagles attempted to score. Junior keeper Megan McCabe was active for all 90 minutes, stopping seven Buffalo shots on goal as a total of 18 shots were sent her direction.

NO NEED TO PANIC: Despite dropping back-to-back contests in MAC play, there is certainly no need to panic in Ypsilanti. In EMU's run to the conference regular season championship last year, the Green and White lost consecutive games but still managed to capture the crown. The Eagles finished the 2013 campaign with a MAC record of 8-2-1 to win the MAC regular season title outright and serve as the No. 1 seed for the MAC Tournament. With only seven games to play, EMU is only two wins (six points) back from MAC-leading Buffalo, leaving plenty of time for the Eagles to make up ground in the conference race.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: After playing eight of their past nine games away from home, the Eagles are glad to be back in Ypsilanti. Looking to get back to its winning ways after a pair of losses, Eastern's four-game homestand could not have come at a better time. The Eagles are 3-0-0 at Scicluna Field this season and have posted an impressive 16-6-3 home record over the past three years. Through the program's 20 seasons, the Eagles have compiled a record of 100-44-24 on their home pitch. Scicluna Field has hosted EMU women's soccer competition since the 1995 season.

ROCKET REPORT: The Rockets make the short trip north, crossing into the Great Lakes State with a record of 4-7-1 (1-3-0 MAC). Toledo enters the game with a little momentum after picking up its first MAC victory in a 3-0 win over Ball State, Oct. 5. Sophomore Kiersten Johnson leads the Rockets with three goals, while midfielder Geri Siudzinski has a team-high two assists to go along with a pair of goals. The two scoring threats pace UT with six points apiece. In between the posts, junior Sam Tiongson has been the only keeper of the goal for Toledo all season, posting 56 saves for a .778 save percentage and 1.28 goals against average. Moreover, all four of Tiongson's wins in goal have been shutout victories.
   Toledo and Eastern have had some battles over time as EMU holds a slight advantage in the all-time series, 11-10-1. In last season's affair, the Eagles soared past the Rockets, 4-3, in a tight Mid-American Conference matchup at Scicluna Field, Sept. 29, 2013. EMU shared the soccer ball as four different Eagles found the net, all in the first half. Martha Stevens provided the game's first goal while Cara Cutaia, Bianca Rossi and Madison Hirsch also tallied goals in the first 45 minutes of the contest. Cutaia and Rossi each added a pair of assists, and Jennifer Bentley also chipped in with an assist of her own.

CHIP DIP: After starting the weekend at Bowling Green, the Chippewas will start its trip back north to Mount Pleasant, stopping in Ypsilanti to face the Green and White. CMU is 2-9-1 (0-4-0) on the 2014 campaign as it still searches for the first victory of MAC play. Central is led in scoring by senior Laura Gosse, who has recorded six of the team's 10 goals this season. One of the other Chippewas to score a goal in 2014 is sophomore Kaylin Hoomaian, a native of Novi, Mich., which is also the hometown of senior Eagle Molli Krick. Sophomore Maddy Bunnell is CMU's primary goalkeeper, starting 11 of the 12 matches. Both of her victories have been shutouts, and she ranks third in the MAC with 64 saves.
   EMU holds a 11-4-2 lead over the Chippewas throughout the in-state rivalry. During the 2013 campaign, the Eagles shut down Central Michigan on the Chips' home pitch, 3-0, Oct. 6, 2013. Megan McCabe made two saves, playing all 90 minutes to record her first individual shutout of the season. Part of that back line that helped pitch the shutout was junior Emily Dzik, who also added a goal, her second of the season. Angela Vultaggio opened up the EMU scoring, while Cara Cutaia finished it off with a second half goal. Senior Stephanie Clarke wrapped up a strong weekend with a pair of assists, and midfielder Martha Stevens added an assist of her own as well.

STATISTICAL LEADERS: Through the first nine games of the 2014 season, multiple Eagles find themselves near the top in conference and national rankings. Angela Vultaggio is third in the conference in goals (6) and points (13), while leading the MAC with 1.22 points per game. Fellow senior forward Bianca Rossi is also at the top of both categories as she is eighth with three goals and 10th with eight points. Recording three assists each in 2014, Madison Hirsch and Chelsie Oddan crack the top-10 in the conference's category, sitting in a tie for sixth. In goal, Megan McCabe's four shutouts are tied for fourth in the conference. To go along with her shutouts, the Arlington Heights, Ill. native boasts a save percentage of .833 for the fourth-best mark in the MAC. Allowing an average of just .970 goals per game, McCabe ranks fifth in the conference standings.

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 seven games. compiling a 5-1-1 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.

STAYING AT SCICLUNA: The Eagles will stay at Scicluna Field next weekend for their final two home games of the regular season. In the first of two cross-divisional contests, Eastern hosts Kent State in a 4 p.m. MAC East showdown. Two days later, the 2014 soccer senior class will be recognized as EMU squares off against Ohio on Senior Day, Oct. 19. The Eagles and Bobcats will begin the Sunday afternoon match at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Jennifer Bentley

Stephanie Clarke

Cara Cutaia

Emily Dzik

Madison Hirsch

Molli Krick

Megan McCabe

Chelsie Oddan

Bianca Rossi

Martha Stevens

Angela Vultaggio

Eastern Michigan Athletics