Soccer Returns Home for MAC Opening Weekend

Soccer vs. Kent State \| vs. Ohio
Date	Friday, Sept. 21 - 5 p.m. \| Sunday, Sept. 23 - 1 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. - Scicluna Field
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMU Soccer \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University soccer team returns to Scicluna Field this weekend, Sept. 21-23, as it turns its attention to Mid-American Conference play. The Eagles open league action against Kent State University Friday, Sept. 21, at 5 p.m. before hosting Ohio University Sunday, Sept. 23, at 1 p.m.
   Winners of four of its last five matches, EMU heads into conference play with a 5-4-0 record after posting a 1-1 mark in the northeast. Eastern stunned UConn, 1-0, before slipping up against UMass, 6-1. Meanwhile, preseason MAC favorite Kent State is 4-3-1 on the year after a thrilling 2-1 double overtime win over Syracuse, Sept. 13. Ohio (2-4-1) will return to the pitch for the first time since its 4-0 setback against Cleveland State, Sept. 7, for a Friday evening tilt versus Central Michigan before visiting Scicluna.
   Links for live stats for the matches can be found on the soccer schedule page of EMUEagles.com. Additionally, the action will be live tweeted from the team's account, @EMUSoccer.

3...2...1...#MACTION: Eastern Michigan enters its 21st season competing in the Mid-American Conference this weekend. The Eagles have compiled a 111-70-25 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.

A WIN WOULD...: With a win over Kent State, the Green and White would secure its first MAC-opening win since the 2014 season. Meanwhile, if the Eagles were to beat both Kent State and Ohio, they would be 2-0 to start conference play for the first time since 2014 when it topped Miami (2-0) and Ball State (2-1, OT) to begin the league slate.

SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Michigan boasts a 25-18-5 record against this weekend's competition, holding the lead in the all-time series against Ohio and Kent State.
Eastern Michigan is 12-10-1 against Kent State since the series began in 1997. The Green and White is in search of its first win over KSU since the 2013 season, when EMU blanked Kent State, 2-0, behind a pair of second half strikes and a five-save performance by Megan McCabe.
   EMU is 13-8-4 against OU in 25 match ups and has won five of the last six meetings between the two squads, outscoring the Bobcats 13-5 over the stretch. Most recently, Ohio stunned EMU, 2-1, in overtime with goals in the 90th and 91st minutes.

STREAKING!: With its 1-nil win over UConn, Eastern matched its longest win streak since winning four straight from Sept. 7-28, 2014. That year, the Green and White defeated Oregon State, 1-0, UIC, 4-2, Miami, 2-0, and Ball State, 2-1, en route to its second consecutive MAC West Division title.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR: Eastern Michigan's roster includes 11 international players, all of which hail from Canada. EMU's 11 Canadians rank tied for the fifth-most international players on a roster across the country. Fairleigh Dickinson has 16 international players, followed by Memphis (15) and Maine (13). East Tennessee State comes in with the fourth-most at 12 from seven different countries.

CHASIN' 300: Kaylin Williams has been a consistent fixture in between the posts for the Eagles since the 2015 season, so it comes as no surprise that she is on the verge of yet another milestone. Williams stands just 15 saves short of the 300 mark heading into the weekend. Should she eclipse the 300-stop plateau, Williams will be just the fourth Eagle to do so and the first since Maggie Manville pushed her career total to 315 in 2011.

COMIN' IN HOT: The Eagles finished the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 5-4-0 record. It marks the first time since 2014 (5-2-1) that the Green and White will enter MAC play with a record above .500.

HOME COOKING: Eastern Michigan has found consistent success when playing at home over the past 23 years, compiling a 112-56-28 overall record, good for a .643 win percentage, at Scicluna Field. This season, EMU is 3-1 on its home pitch.

SWITCHING UP THE STARTING XI: EMU has utilized seven different starting lineups through nine non-conference games. In fact, Eastern Michigan has not had the same starting XI more than twice this season.
   Sabrina McNeill, Kristin Nason, Tessa Osborne, Lindsey Shira, Mikayla Cupp, and Alia Frederick are the only six Eagles to start every match this season.

YOUTH APLENTY: When Marla Cobetto scored on Kylie Frantz's service against UMass, Sept. 16, Eastern Michigan had one of its youngest lineups to date on the field. EMU's XI featured four freshmen, six sophomores, and a junior. It marked the first time this season the Eagles had more than two freshmen in a match at the same time.

MAKIN' MOVES: Redshirt sophomore Sabrina McNeill continued to climb EMU's career points ladder with EMU's game-winning goal against UConn, Sept. 14. McNeill currently sits tied for 22nd-most in EMU history with 25 points and is just one point behind Katie Lozar's 21st-ranked total of 26. EMU E-Club Hall of Famer Jessica Hupe holds the program standard with 117 points.

KAYLIN'S CLIMB: Senior netminder Kaylin Williams has proven to be one of the top keepers to come through Ypsilanti. Learning from former EMU standout Megan McCabe as a freshman and continuing to benefit from the tutelage of Dan Diac, Williams has created quite a legacy. With 40 saves to her credit this season, the Kansas City, Mo. native has racked up 285 for her career. She currently ranks fifth in EMU laurels, and trails Erin Norton's fourth-ranked mark by 12.

A PERFECT 10: Kristin Nason netted the 10th goal of her career with a game-winning strike against Detroit Mercy Friday, Aug. 24. Nason, the active team leader in goals scored, notched seven as a redshirt freshman in 2015, two last season, and now has two this season. She currently ranks tied for 18th all-time in EMU laurels with 10 goals.

MAKE ROOM, McCABE!: Senior keeper Kaylin Williams moved into the top spot in Eastern Michigan history for shots faced over the weekend, surpassing former teammate Megan McCabe's mark of 709. McCabe sported the Green and White from 2012-15, mentoring then-freshman Williams in an injury-ridden senior season. For her career, Williams has faced a 821 shots.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern hits the road as MAC play rolls on next weekend, Sept. 28-30. The Eagles begin week two of conference action Friday night, Sept. 28, at Akron, before making the trek to Buffalo, N.Y. for a 1 p.m. tilt against the Bulls.

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Players Mentioned

Marla Cobetto

Mikayla Cupp

Kylie Frantz

Alia Frederick

Kristin Hullibarger

Megan McCabe

Sabrina McNeill

Tessa Osborne

Lindsey Shira

Kaylin Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics