Soccer Set for Quarterfinals Clash with Top-Seeded BGSU Sunday

Soccer vs. No. 1 Bowling Green
Date	Sunday, Oct. 28 - 1 p.m.
Venue	Bowling Green, Ohio - Cochrane Stadium
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Live Stream	Watch
Twitter	@EMU Soccer \| @EMUAthletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team's postseason opens up on the road at Cochrane Stadium Sunday, Oct. 28, as eighth-ranked EMU takes on top-seeded Bowling Green State University. The Mid-American Conference Quarterfinals match is slated for 1 p.m.
   Eastern earned its first trip to the postseason since 2016 with a 3-2 overtime win against Central Michigan, Oct. 25. EMU's win over CMU moved the Eagles to 10-10-0 on the year and 5-6-0 in league action. Meanwhile, BGSU heads into the tournament as the conference's top team after posting a 10-1-0 MAC record in the regular season. Most recently, Bowling Green knocked off Toledo, 2-1, Oct. 25.
The match will be live streamed on YouTube. Links for live stats and the stream can be found on the soccer schedule page of EMUEagles.com. Additionally, the action will be live tweeted from the team's account, @EMUSoccer.

BACK IN THE POSTSEASON: With a 3-2 win over Central Michigan Thursday, Oct. 25, the Eagles secured a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since 2016 and the 18th time in program history.

EIGHT-SEED'S FATE: Eight seeds have advanced to the semifinals three times in the tournament's history, most recently in 2016. Akron bested Ball State in penalty kicks to advance to the second round in 2016, while Miami topped Ball State, 2-1, in 2006. The other occurrence took place in 2004, as Bowling Green outlasted top-seeded Kent State 2-1 in double overtime.

EMU AS NO. 8: Eastern Michigan has never been the No. 8 seed in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. In its 18 conference tournament appearances, EMU has been the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 seed.

EMU IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: The Green and White have participated in the Mid-American Conference Tournament 17 times. Overall, the Eagles boast an 8-14-3 record in the conference's postseason tournament, and have squared off against eight different conference foes. The Eagles have battled Western Michigan fives times in the MAC Tournament, the most frequent of any opponent, while EMU has faced Ohio, Miami, and Bowling Green four times apiece.
Having lost their past three MAC Tournament matches, the Eagles are in search of their first postseason win since the opening round of the 2013 tournament when they blanked Ohio, 3-nil.

NO BETTER TIME TO PAY 'EM BACK: Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green will meet in the MAC Tournament for the fifth time Sunday, Oct. 28, at Cochrane Stadium. BGSU outlasted EMU, 2-1, in overtime the last time the two teams met in the postseason, as fourth-seeded Bowling Green advanced to the semifinals with the win over fifth-ranked Eastern, Nov. 4, 2007.
   Overall, BGSU holds a 4-0-0 record against EMU in the postseason as the Falcons ended the Eagles season with 2-1 defeats in 2000, 2003, and 2007. EMU also dropped its 1998 match to BGSU by a 1-nil tally.

BATTLING BOWLING GREEN: Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green have met 26 times in their respective histories, with EMU leading the all-time tally, 15-10-1. EMU has won two of the last three meetings, but BGSU edged Eastern, 1-nil, when the squads met earlier this season at Cochrane Stadium, Oct. 7. Junior goalkeeper Mabel Dunn made a career-high eight saves in the match.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DUBS: Eastern Michigan recorded its 10th win over the season with a 3-2 OT victory over Central Michigan, Oct. 25. It is EMU's first 10-win season since 2014 and its ninth overall.

ASSISTS ADDING UP: Sophomore Lindsey Shira and redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill have racked up the assists for the Eagles this season. In fact, Shira and McNeill have recorded six helpers apiece, the 13th-most in EMU single-season laurels. Additionally, their career-best six assists are the most by an Eagle duo since 2013.

TAUSEND'S TAPPER: Sophomore Haley Tausend scored the second goal of her career, and her first as an Eagle, to lead Eastern Michigan past Central Michigan, 3-2, in overtime, Oct. 25. With Tausend's game-winner, 11 Eagles have scored goals, while 13 have tallied points.

20-POINT SCORER: Redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill used a penalty kick and a set-piece assist to rack up three points in EMU's regular season finale. With her three-point effort, McNeill pushed her season point total to 20 and became the first Eagle to record 20+ points in a season since 2013. She currently ranks 17th in Eastern Michigan annals for points in a season.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!: Eastern's 3-2 overtime win over Central Michigan, Oct. 25, was EMU's fourth OT bout of the season. All four of Eastern's extra time matches have come during MAC play, with EMU posting a 2-2-0 record.
   Since the program's inception in 1995, EMU has compiled a 17-34-45 record in extra time.

DOWN BUT NOT OUT: Returning to the pitch for the first time in more than three weeks, Kaylin Williams posted a match-high four saves in EMU's win over Central Michigan, Oct. 25. Williams had been sidelined since Eastern's overtime setback at Buffalo, Sept. 30, but stepped back in between the posts to pick up the 25th win over her career. She now ranks fifth in EMU laurels for career victories.

KNOCKING OUT CMU: With their thrilling 3-2 OT win over CMU, the Eagles secured their first win over the Chippewas since the 2014 campaign when EMU blanked CMU, 2-nil, at Scicluna Field, Oct. 12.

MAKIN' MOVES: Redshirt junior Kristin Nason and redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill continued to climb EMU's career points ladder against Central Michigan, Oct. 25. Nason registered an assist on EMU's game-winner, while McNeill added a goal and assist in a three-point effort. Nason sits in 15th-place with 39 points, while McNeill currently ranks tied for 16th in EMU history with 37 points.

SHARING THE SPOTLIGHT: Redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill and redshirt junior Kristin Nason have caused opposing defenses plenty of trouble over the course of the season, as the duo has combined for 13 goals, nine assists, and 35 points. In fact, McNeill and Nason are the first EMU teammates to rack up 15-or-more points each since 2014. That year, Angela Vultaggio and Bianca Rossi notched 19 and 15 points, respectively.

ON THE HORIZON: With a win, the Eagles will advance to the MAC Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2013. There, the winner of the EMU-BGSU match will face off against either No. 4 Ohio or No. 5 Kent State Friday, Nov. 2.

Soccer Set for Quarterfinals Clash with Top-Seeded BGSU Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Mabel Dunn

Kristin Hullibarger

Sabrina McNeill

Bianca Rossi

Lindsey Shira

Haley Tausend

Angela Vultaggio

Kaylin Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics