Soccer Continues Conference Slate Against Western Michigan and Northern Illinois

Soccer vs. Western Michigan \| Soccer vs. Northern Illinois
Date	Thursday, Sept. 30 - 4 p.m. \| Sunday, Oct. 30 - 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. - Scicluna Field \| DeKalb, Ill. - NIU Soccer Complex
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| EMU Program (Western Michigan)
Watch	NIU All-Access (Oct. 30 vs. Nothern Illinois)
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUSoccer \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team will continue its second week of Mid-American Conference play with a home match against Western Michigan Thursday, Sept. 30, and a road contest against Northern Illinois Sunday, Oct. 3.
   The contest against the Broncos is set to begin at 4 p.m. at Scicluna Field, while kickoff versus the Huskies will begin at 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the match against Western Michigan via live stats while the match against Northern Illinois will be streamed via NIU All-Access (NIUHuskies.com) and via live stats. Additionally, updates will be posted from the team's Twitter account, @EMUSoccer, for both matches.

LEADING THE EAGLES: The Eagles' attack has been diverse to start the season as six individuals lead the squad in goals (1); redshirt juniors Chloe Chatzis and Madeline Olson, sophomores Amanda Cripps and Tiffanie Hollingsworth, and freshmen Jamie Lefebvre and Maddie O'Farrell. Senior Lindsey Shira leads the Eagles with two assists on the season. Shira also paces EMU in shots (14) and shots on goal (7).
   Cripps has notched a team-high three points for the Green and White, earning a goal and an assist in her sophomore campaign.
   In net, senior Chelsea Abbotts leads the Eagles in saves (35) and recorded the win, 2-1, for Eastern against Morehead State, Sept. 5.

VIEWS FROM 2021: Eastern Michigan finished non-conference play with an overall record of 1-5-1. In the Eagles' season-opener, the team fell to Illinois State by a score of 4-0, Aug. 19, at Scicluna Field. To finish non-conference play, EMU dropped a match to Western Illinois, 2-1, Sept. 17.
   In the first week of Mid-American Conference play, the Eagles finished with a stalemate against Ball State, 0-0, Sept. 23 and a loss to Miami, 2-1, Sept. 26.
   In the contest against Miami, sophomore Tiffanie Hollingsworth notched her first collegiate goal while senior Lindsey Shira and sophomore Amanda Cripps each earned an assist. The assist on Sunday gave Cripps her 25th career point donning the Green and White.

RETURN OF THE MAC: Since 2012, Eastern Michigan has an overall record of 49-44-6 in Mid-American Conference play, outscoring the opposition 146-139 in that span.
   Head coach Scott Hall enters the 2021 campaign with a 131-92-26 career conference record. Hall's teams have qualified for the MAC Tournament 15 times and captured one tournament title, three regular season titles, three appearances in the MAC title game, and nine top-five regular season finishes.

A LOOK AT WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos will be coming to Scicluna Field looking to snap a five-game losing skid, including two recent Mid-American Conference losses to Bowling Green, 2-0, and Toledo, 2-0. In that five-game span, Western Michigan has been outscored 16-1 by its opposition and the Broncos' attack has not scored a goal since their match at Indiana, Sept. 2.
   Western Michigan ranks seventh in the MAC with 12 goals (1.33 gpg), but is last in the conference with just 71 total shots (7.89 shots per game). On defense, the Broncos are last in the MAC with 27 goals allowed (3.00 gaa) and rank 11th in save percentage (.686).

HISTORY VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN: This will be the 33rd meeting between Eastern and Western. The all-time head-to-head series record is deadlocked at 14-14-4 between the two Mid-American Conference foes.
   The Eagles have taken three of the last five from the Broncos as both squads have each tallied nine goals in the last five meetings.

LAST TIME IN YPSI: The most recent meeting between WMU and EMU came last season when the Eagles defeated the Broncos, 2-1, inside the St. Joe's Sports Dome, March 28, 2021. In the victory, sophomore Amanda Cripps and freshman Lexy Alston each netted a score.

A LOOK AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Northern Illinois finished its non-conference slate with an overall record of 3-5. The Huskies also split the first week of Mid-American play, falling to Toledo, 3-0, Thursday, Sept. 23, and defeating reigning MAC Champion Bowling Green, 2-1, Sunday, Sept. 26.
   The Huskies are tied for fourth in the conference with 13 goals scored (1.30 gpg), but are tabbed 11th in the conference with 24 goals against (2.40 gaa).

HISTORY VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS: This will be the 27th meeting between EMU and NIU. The Eagles currently lead the all-time head-to-head series 19-5-3 and EMU has won five-straight against Northern Illinois, outscoring the Huskies 12-2 in those five matches.

LAST TIME IN DeKALB: The last time the two programs met in DeKalb, Ill., Eastern handled the Huskies, 3-0, March 14, 2021. In that match, former Eagle Sabrina McNeill scored twice for the Green and White while junior Kylie Frantz added a goal. Senior Chelsea Abbotts pitched a shutout, including three saves in the victory.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will continue their Mid-American Conference slate with a home match against Buffalo, Oct. 7, and a road match at Akron, Oct. 10.

For updates on all things Eastern Michigan soccer, continue to check EMUEagles.com and be sure to follow the team on Instagram and Twitter, @EMUSoccer.

Soccer Continues Conference Slate Against Western Michigan and Northern Illinois

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Chelsea Abbotts

Lexy Alston

Chloe Chatzis

Amanda Cripps

Kylie Frantz

Tiffanie Hollingsworth

Jamie Lefebvre

Sabrina McNeill

Maddie O'Farrell

Madeline Olson

Lindsey Shira

Eastern Michigan Athletics