EMU Treks to NIU and WMU for Final Regular Season Roadtrip

Soccer at Northern Illinois \| at Western Michigan
Date	Friday, Oct. 12 - 6 p.m. CT \| Sunday, Oct. 14 - 1 p.m.
Venue	DeKalb, Ill. - Northern Illinois Soccer and Track & Field Complex \| Kalamazoo, Mich. - WMU Soccer Complex
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats a t Northern Illinois \| Live Stats at Western Michigan
Live Stream	Live Stream at Northern Illinois ($)
Twitter	@EMU Soccer \| @EMUAthletics

DeKALB, Ill. & KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team hits the road for the final time this weekend, Oct. 12-14, for a pair of crucial Mid-American Conference matches. EMU begins the weekend with a bout at Northern Illinois University Friday evening, Oct. 8. The Green and White then stop in Kalamazoo for a 1 p.m. tilt against in-state foe Western Michigan University Sunday, Oct. 14.
Eastern Michigan is looking to snap a three-game losing skid after a pair of heartbreaking results against Toledo, Oct. 4, and Bowling Green, Oct. 7. EMU was spurned in overtime, 4-3, against UT, before dropping a tight 1-nil match at conference-leading Bowling Green, Oct. 7. Northern Illinois heads into the weekend looking for its first MAC win of the year with an overall record of 1-13-0. Meanwhile, WMU is 10-4-0 overall and 4-2-0 in league play after a 3-nil defeat at Ball State, Oct. 7.
Links for live stats can be found on the soccer schedule page of EMUEagles.com. Additionally, the action will be live tweeted from the team's account, @EMUSoccer.

DUNN DID IT: Starting both of EMU's matches, Oct. 4-7, junior keeper Mabel Dunn posted a pair of career-high performances. Dunn tallied eight saves against Toledo, Oct. 4, before adding another eight-stop effort at Bowling Green, Oct. 7. Not only are Dunn's eight saves the most by an Eagle this season, but her 16 stops are the most in a two-game span since Kaylin Williams recorded 17 in matches against Kent State (10) and Western Michigan (7) during the 2015 season.

TWO THREE-POINTERS: Redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill and sophomore Madeline Olson each contributed a goal and an assist in EMU's overtime match against Toledo, Oct. 4. It marked the first time two Eagles have racked up three-or-more points in a game since Nov. 3, 2013. Angela Vultaggio notched a goal and an assist, while Stephanie Clarke added a brace in EMU's 3-0 rout of Ohio.

30x2: With three points in Eastern's clash with Toledo, Oct. 4, redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill surpassed 30 career points. She is just the 20th player in EMU history to join the 30-point club. Additionally, McNeill joins teammate Kristin Nason, who accomplished the feat earlier this season, as the first set of teammates with 30+ points since the 2014 campaign.

EMU IN THE HUSKIES' HOME: The Green and White has owned the all-time series against Northern Illinois overall, but the Huskies have been hard to top in DeKalb. NIU has topped EMU 2-1 and 3-1 in Eastern's last two trips to DeKalb. In fact, Eastern Michigan is looking for its first win at Northern Illinois since 2012 when the Eagles used a penalty kick from Bianca Rossi to outlast the Huskies, 1-nil, Sept. 21.

FIVE-MATCH FEAT: Redshirt junior Kristin Nason found her stride at the start of league play, piecing together a four-match point streak after a two-assist weekend, Sept. 28-30. Over four matches, Nason recorded three goals and two assists to pace EMU's offense. Her streak was the longest by an Eagle since Angela Vultaggio's six-match point streak in 2013, the second-longest in EMU history.

SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Michigan holds a 27-17-7 all-time record against this week's competition in 51 total meetings.
   EMU and WMU have met on the pitch 28 times, with the series level at 12-12-4. Eastern soared past Western, 3-0, last season at Scicluna Field. Madeline Olson's 23rd minute proved to be the game-winner, while Kristin Nason and Peyton Davis added insurance tallies. In goal, Kaylin Williams notched 10 saves on 29 shots faced to keep the Broncos scoreless.
   The Eagles hold a commanding 15-5-3 lead against the Huskies all-time. Last season, Alex Wilbanks goal lifted the Eagles past NIU, 1-0, on Senior Day in Ypsilanti.

HELPING HAND…ON SECOND THOUGHT, HELPING BOOT: Sophomore defender Lindsey Shira's assist on Kristin Nason's goal vs. Toledo, Oct. 4, was Shira's team-leading fifth of the season. Shira's five helpers are the most by an Eagle since Rachel Washburn was credited with five in the 2015 season.

'BOUT THOSE #blockEfriday BOUTS: The Eagles have added plenty of excitement to #blockEfridays this season, posting a 5-1 record in Friday matches. In fact, since its season-opening defeat at Purdue, Aug. 17, Eastern has won five straight Friday tilts.

BRAGGING RIGHTS: The Eagles are 42-56-18 against teams hailing from the state of Michigan all-time. EMU's most common opponent is Western Michigan, having squared off against the Broncos 28 times since 1995. Eastern and Western are even in the series, 12-12-4, while EMU is also tied, 9-9-4, against Detroit Mercy all-time. The Green and White has been most successful against Central Michigan, posting a 12-6-3 mark against the Chippewas. The Eagles trail in series with Michigan (0-8-2), Michigan State (1-12-3), and Oakland (3-9-1).
   This season, Eastern Michigan is 2-0 against in-state foes, as EMU defeated Detroit Mercy (Aug. 31; 2-1) and Oakland (Sept. 2; 1-0).

KAYLIN'S KINGDOM: Kaylin Williams recorded the 300th save of her career, Sept. 28-30, becoming just the fourth Eagle in program history to eclipse the 300-stop mark. Additionally, the Kansas City, Mo. native is the first EMU keeper to break into the 300-save club since Maggie Manville did so in 2011. Her 302 career stops rank fourth-most in Eastern Michigan laurels.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!: Eastern found itself on both sides of overtime this weekend, Sept. 28-Oct. 4. EMU bested Akron, 1-0, before being clipped, 2-1, in OT by Buffalo, Sept. 30. Eastern played its third straight overtime match against Toledo, Oct. 4, eventually coming up short, 4-3. Since the program's inception in 1995, EMU has compiled a 16-34-45 record in extra time, including a 1-2-0 mark this season.

MAKIN' MOVES: Redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill continued to climb EMU's career points ladder with her third game-winning goal of the season to lift EMU past Akron, Sept. 28. McNeill currently ranks 21st in EMU history with 28 points and trails Amy Westerhold by one point, while Kristin Nason sits in 19th-place with 32 points. EMU E-Club Hall of Famer Jessica Hupe holds the program standard with 117 points.

3...2...1...#MACTION: Eastern Michigan is in its 21st season competing as a member of the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles have compiled a 113-74-25 record in league play and are looking to claim their fourth MAC title, and first since 2013. Eastern was the 1999, 2003, and 2013 MAC Regular Season Champion.

HOME COOKING: Eastern Michigan has found consistent success when playing at home over the past 23 years, compiling a 113-58-28 overall record, good for a .641 win percentage, at Scicluna Field. This season, EMU is 4-3 on its home pitch.

ON THE HORIZON: EMU closes out the regular season with a three-game homestand, beginning with a clash with Miami University Thursday, Oct. 18. The match between the Eagles and RedHawks is the 200th home game in EMU history and is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Scicluna Field.

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Players Mentioned

Peyton Davis

Mabel Dunn

Kristin Hullibarger

Sabrina McNeill

Madeline Olson

Bianca Rossi

Lindsey Shira

Angela Vultaggio

Rachel Washburn

Alex Wilbanks

Kaylin Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics