Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Soccer Continues MAC Play Against BGSU, Kent State
10/22/2024 8:35:00 PM | Soccer
Eagles seeking pair of wins in push toward MAC Tournament
| Soccer at BGSU | vs. Kent State | |
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. |
| Venue | Cochrane Field | Bowling Green, Ohio | Scicluna Field | Ypsilanti, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch | Watch at BGSU | Watch vs. Kent State |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| @EMUSoccer | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team is set for a pair of Mid-American Conference (MAC) matches as the Eagles will take on Bowling Green, Oct. 24, and Kent State, Oct. 27.
ON THE AIR: The Eagles and Falcons will air on ESPN+ from Cochrane Field. EMU against WMU will also air on ESPN+ with Tom Helmer on the call from Scicluna Field. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
QUICK KICKS:
» Despite a first-half goal from redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann, Eastern surrended two second-half goals to fall, 2-1, at Northern Illinois, Oct. 18, in a pivotal MAC contest.
» Sophomore Olivia Sipsock has four goals on the season, one shy of her mark from the 2023 season, while redshirt sophomore Ella Holland and the Eagles have recorded six clean sheets, the most by EMU since 2014.
» After EMU started 4-0 for the first time since 1999, the same year as Eastern's lone NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, the Eagles have gone 1-5-4 in their last nine matches, most recently falling at Northern Illinois, Oct. 18.
» Head Coach Taylor Clarke is in his first season at the helm of the Eagles. Joining Clarke on staff are Associate Head Coach Matt Hinds and Assistant Coach Mary Carlson.
» Clarke, the third head coach in program history, replaced Scott Hall, who retired at the end of the 2023 season. Hall amassed a 210-215-67 record with MAC championships in 1999, 2003, and 2013. Hall, who played on the EMU men's team as a student, was a part of every EMU women's match in history as he served as an assistant coach from 1995-1999 before taking over as the head coach following the tragic death of Paul Scicluna.
» EMU returns sophomores Kate Robinson and Olivia Sipsock, who both earned Freshman All-MAC honors in 2023.
FOUR-STRAIGHT WINS TO START 2024: Eastern started 4-0 for the first time since 1999, the same year as Eastern's lone NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
SIX CLEAN SHEETS: The six clean sheets are the most for EMU in a single season since 2014 (eight).
MUST-WIN AT BGSU, VS KSU: For all intents and purposes, Eastern must win at BGSU, Oct. 24, and against Kent State, Oct. 27, to stay alive in the race to the MAC Tournament. Entering play Thursday, Oct. 24, only Western Michigan (18 points) has surpassed the estimated 16-point MAC Tournament minimum but Ohio (15 points) and Buffalo (15 points) are well on their way to finishing above EMU in the standings. Eastern, which has not made the MAC Tournament since 2019, must win out to reach the 16-point mark. With Akron (2 points) eliminated, Eastern and seven other schools are vying for the final three spots as the Eagles must pass five schools in the standings.
Eastern would be eliminated Thursday if it loses to BGSU AND Toledo beats Western Michigan AND Kent State beats Akron.
Full standings and further information on MAC Tournament six-seed history is available on page four.
4-0-3 AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU is 4-0-3 at Scicluna Field, most recently recording an improbable draw against MAC-leading Western Michigan, which led through 85 minutes before junior Secora Johnson netted a left-footed equalizer.
The Eagles are unbeaten on their home turf through seven matches for the first time since the 1999 team went an impressive 10-0-1 at home. When EMU plays Kent State, Oct. 27, it is seeking its second-ever undefeated home slate.
Entering the season, Eastern had a 22-match home streak since its last victory at Scicluna Field. Eastern had also not secured a home shutout since beating Miami, 3-0, Oct. 18, 2018, breaking a stretch of 39 home contests. EMU broke both streaks by beating Oakland, 1-0, Aug. 15.
TWO QUICK MAC HITS: Heading into action Thursday, Oct. 24, and excluding the two-team PAC-12 (Oregon State, Washington State), the MAC is the only Division I conference in the nation in which all teams have at least five wins. Only three other conferences have all teams with at least four wins (ACC, Big East, SEC).
Every team in the MAC has at least five wins for the first time since 2007 and second time in MAC history (2002). If every team can reach six wins (EMU, CMU, and Akron are at five), it would mark the first time for the league (started sponsoring soccer in 1997).
Helped by Eastern's 3-0 mark, the MAC finished its non-conference home slate with a remarkable combined record of 33-3-4. Nine teams went undefeated (five without a draw) and no team suffered more than one loss in home non-conference action in 2024.
IN THE SERIES WITH BOWLING GREEN: The Eagles and Falcons are tied at 15-15-2 in the series while also being tied 7-7-1 in matches played at BGSU.
Eastern is 0-6-1 in its last seven matches against BGSU with its last win coming Oct. 5, 2017. Four of the last five matches have come at BGSU as Eastern has lost six-consecutive matches in Bowling Green. The Eagles' last won at BGSU, Oct. 6, 2016, Eastern last won via shutout against the Falcons, 3-0, Oct. 30, 2014.
The Eagles have conceded at least three goals to BGSU in three-straight matches.
IN THE SERIES WITH KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes are tied at 14-14-1 in the series.
Eastern is 2-7-1 in its last 10 matches against KSU with its last win coming Oct. 18, 2019. Three of the last four matches have come at EMU as Eastern is seeking its first home win over the Golden Flashes since a 2-0 victory Sept. 21, 2018.
The Eagles have conceded at least three goals to BGSU in three-straight matches.
ELLA HOLLAND, BEST SEASON SINCE...?: After conceding 2.03 goals/match in 2023, redshirt sophomore Ella Holland has produced one of the most impressive seasons in goal for the Eagles in recent memory. Her 0.93 GAA in 2024 is the fifth-best in program history and the best since Maggie Manville's 0.54 GAA mark in 2009. Her .821 save rate is the ninth-best percentage in program history and best since Monique Budani's .874 mark in 2010.
EVERY MINUTE IN GOAL FOR HOLLAND: Redshirt sophomore Ella Holland has played every minute in goal through 15 matches. Kaylin Williams was the last EMU goalkeeper to play every minute through 15 matches as she was credited with every minute played in goal in 2016. Additionally, Holland's 64 saves rank third in the MAC.
MAC saves leaders:
Player Saves School
1. Agnes Stenlund 85 Toledo
2. Allison LaPoint 80 Central Michigan
2. Ella Holland 64 Eastern Michigan
THREE-STRAIGHT CLEAN SHEETS IN THE MAC: Eastern tallied three-straight clean sheets after blanking Toledo, Sept. 26; Ball State, Sept. 29; and Miami, Oct. 6, which marked the first time EMU has recorded three-consecutive shutouts in MAC play since since 2009 (Ohio, Buffalo, and Kent State).
TWO GOALS FOR SOPHIA BAUMANN: Redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann netted the match's first goal at Northern Illinois, Oct. 18, which marked the Eagles' first goal away from home since sophomore Cameryn Susey scored at Cincinnati, Sept. 1. The Eagles had been shutout in five-straight road matches and went scoreless on the road for a span of 492:14 before Baumann's goal. She scored her first career goal against Central Michigan, Sept. 19.
FIRST CAREER GOAL FOR TAYLA MADDOCK: Freshman Tayla Maddock scored her first career goal against Miami, Oct. 6. A corner kick from sophomore Rosalie Takacsy found the head of Maddock, whose shot bounced inside the far post in the 38th minute before eventually serving as the game-winner.
FIRST OCTOBER HOME WIN SINCE 2019: With a 1-0 win over Miami, Oct. 6, the Eagles earned their first win at Scicluna Field in the month of October since Oct. 27, 2019, a 2-1 win over Buffalo. In the 13 home October matches after that win, EMU was 0-11-2 in such matches. Eastern's last home clean sheet in October, prior to Sunday, came against Miami, Oct. 18, 2018, a 3-0 win for EMU (20 October home matches without a clean sheet).
OLIVIA SIPSOCK, THE SCICLUNA SNIPER: Olivia Sipsock has four goals in 2024, three of which have come at Scicluna Field. If she is able to notch a fourth goal on home turf, she would be the first Eagle with four goals at home in one season since Sabrina McNeill in the spring of 2021. Lindsey Shira (2019) was the last Eagle to score five goals at home in one season while Kristin Hullibarger (2018) was the last to net six (and seven) at Scicluna Field.
OLIVIA SIPSOCK GOAL EIGHT SECONDS IN: Olivia Sipsock scored just eight seconds into the match against Youngstown State, Aug. 25, the fastest goal in EMU history and the fastest known goal in the NCAA this season.
OLIVIA SIPSOCK BRACE VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE: Olivia Sipsock scored twice against Youngstown State, Aug. 25, marking her first career brace. Sipsock netted a goal just eight seconds into the match before scoring a second time exactly 66 minutes of game time later.
If Sipsock tallies two goals in another match this season, she would be the first Eagle to record multiple braces in a season since Sabrina McNeill had back-to-back games with two goals in the spring of 2021 and the first to do so twice at Scicluna Field in the same season since Angela Vultaggio in 2013.
OLIVIA SIPSOCK POINT IN FIRST FOUR MATCHES: Olivia Sipsock had at least one point in each of the Eagles' first four matches, the first Eagle to do so since 2012 (Angela Vultaggio).
FOUR GOALS IN THE 85TH-MINUTE OR LATER: The Eagles have scored 13 goals in 2024 with four coming in the match's final six minutes. Sophomore Cameryn Susey scored the match's lone goal at the 84:55 mark vs. Oakland, Aug. 15, while sophomore Sarah Van Euwen scored her first career goal at the 88:05 mark to break a 2-2 draw at UIC, Aug. 22. Susey also scored at Cincinnati, Sept. 1, at the 84:37 before junior Secora Johnson netted a critical equalizer at the 85:09 mark against MAC-leading Western Michigan.
CLARKE + HALL SIMILAR STARTS: A quarter century later, Head Coach Taylor Clarke, the third head coach in program history, had a similar start to his predecessor, Scott Hall, who won his first six matches as head coach in 1999. Clarke won his first four matches. In 1999, Hall led Eastern to the MAC Regular Season title, MAC Tournament title, and EMU's lone NCAA Tournament in program history.
KATE ROBINSON AND OLIVIA SIPSOCK FRESHMEN PHENOMS IN 2023: Then-freshmen Kate Robinson and Olivia Sipsock combined for 25 points in 2023, making up for more than half of the team's 48 points. Robinson was MAC Freshman of the Year and led the MAC in assists while her 13 points topped MAC freshmen marks. Sipsock's 12 points were tied for the second-highest mark in the MAC in 2023. Eastern Michigan is one of four schools to have two players named Freshman All-MAC in 2023.
2023 MAC Freshmen Rankings By Points/Match:
Player Per Match Total Points School
1. Kate Robinson 0.68 13 (3g/7a) Eastern Michigan
2. Olivia Sipsock 0.63 12 (5g/2a) Eastern Michigan
3. Josie Morgan 0.57 12 (5g/2a) Kent State
KATE ROBINSON MAC ASSISTS LEADER IN 2023: Freshman Kate Robinson led the MAC with seven assists, the most by an Eagle since Angela Vultaggio (8), Stephanie Clarke (7), and Martha Stevens (7) all tallied at least seven assists in 2013. Robinson is the first EMU freshman in 16 years and the third freshman in program history to record at least seven assists in a season, joining Jodi Coyle (8, 1997) and Stephanie Janssens (8, 2007).
2023 MAC Assists Leaders:
Player Assists School
1. Kate Robinson 7 Eastern Michigan
2. Delaney Caldwell 6 Kent State
Jenna Blackburn 6 Kent State
Jen Blitchok 6 Bowling Green
Alisa Arthur 6 Kent State
HEAD COACH TAYLOR CLARKE: Taylor Clarke is in his first season at the helm of Eastern Michigan. Clarke is just the third head coach in program history (since 1995). Clarke was previously at Division III's Carroll University with additional stops at the MAC's BGSU (Associate Head Coach, 2021-23), Division II's Ashland (Head Coach, 2018-21; Assistant Coach, 2014-16), Division III's Calvin College (Assistant Coach, 2017-18), and UNC-Wilmington (Assistant Coach, 2016-17). Clarke played his college soccer at Division II Saginaw Valley State, captaining the 2012 squad to the Division II National Championship match.
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH MATT HINDS: Matt Hinds was hired as the team's associate head coach. Hinds spent the last three seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater Division III Calvin College. Hinds, an All-American at Calvin 2017, overlapped with Clarke at Calvin as Clarke was an assistant coach for the Knights at the time. The pair also overlapped at Division II Ashland as Hinds spent one year and a half on staff for the Eagles. Hinds started his coaching journey at Divsion II Malone in 2019.
ASSISTANT COACH MARY CARLSON: Mary Carlson was hired as the team's assistant coach. Carlson, who was a four-year starter at the MAC's Central Michigan, was Girls Associate Head Coach at Grace Christian Academy in Franklin, Tenn. She was also a middle school mathematics teacher at the school for four years while taking on a Boys Assistant Soccer Coach role and Middle School Athletics Assistant role in 2022.
A TRIBUTE TO FORMER HEAD COACH SCOTT HALL: The 2023 season marked the 25th year Scott Hall served as the head coach of the Eastern program before retiring following the conclusion of the 2023 campaign. A former student-athlete at EMU (1990-94) and a four-year assistant coach (1995-98), Hall was part of the first 565 matches the Eagles played in its existence, including 483 as the head coach. He sported a a record of 210-215-67.Winners of three MAC regular season crowns (1999, 2003, and 2013), the three-time MAC Coach of the Year also helped the Eagles reach the 1999 NCAA Tournament, the first and only national tournament appearance in program history.
WHO'S BACK?: The entire eligible roster stuck with the team through the 2024 spring slate, despite the coaching change. Ultimately, heading into the season's first match, only reserve keeper Kevser Guendogdu left the program as she went back to her home country of Germany, leaving the Eagles with a roster of 36 players.
Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the nation in returning players from 2023:
1. Cal Poly - 30
T2. Boise State - 29
T2. Wake Forest - 29
T4. Eastern Michigan - 27
T4. Manhattan - 27
Furthermore, EMU's 27 returners with no collegiate transfers tops McNeese State's mark of 22 returners without a transfer out.
WHO'S NEW?: Eastern Michigan added a trio of transfers (Ela Kisin, Long Island; Lucia Johnson, Akron; Scarlett Thomas, Missouri) to go with six freshmen (Ellery Boeving, Howell, Mich.; Bella Bowen, Peterborough, Ontario; Claire Gonyea, Trenton, Mich.; Emily Kolodin, Grand Blanc, Mich.; Mackenzie Loomis, St. Charles, Ill.; and Tayla Maddock, Camlachie, Ontario).
Thomas, Johnson, Maddock, and Kolodin are the Eagle newcomers that have seen time.
CANADIAN CONNECTION: Eastern Michigan has seven student-athletes from Canada, all of which are from Ontario.
EMU ranks tied for the third in the nation in student-athletes from Canada and second in the nation in student-athletes from Ontario:
1. Maine 13 (four from Ontario)
2. Niagara 8 (all eight from Ontario)
T3. Eastern Michigan 7 (all seven from Ontario)
T3. South Florida 7 (six from Ontario)
ON THE AIR: The Eagles and Falcons will air on ESPN+ from Cochrane Field. EMU against WMU will also air on ESPN+ with Tom Helmer on the call from Scicluna Field. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
QUICK KICKS:
» Despite a first-half goal from redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann, Eastern surrended two second-half goals to fall, 2-1, at Northern Illinois, Oct. 18, in a pivotal MAC contest.
» Sophomore Olivia Sipsock has four goals on the season, one shy of her mark from the 2023 season, while redshirt sophomore Ella Holland and the Eagles have recorded six clean sheets, the most by EMU since 2014.
» After EMU started 4-0 for the first time since 1999, the same year as Eastern's lone NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, the Eagles have gone 1-5-4 in their last nine matches, most recently falling at Northern Illinois, Oct. 18.
» Head Coach Taylor Clarke is in his first season at the helm of the Eagles. Joining Clarke on staff are Associate Head Coach Matt Hinds and Assistant Coach Mary Carlson.
» Clarke, the third head coach in program history, replaced Scott Hall, who retired at the end of the 2023 season. Hall amassed a 210-215-67 record with MAC championships in 1999, 2003, and 2013. Hall, who played on the EMU men's team as a student, was a part of every EMU women's match in history as he served as an assistant coach from 1995-1999 before taking over as the head coach following the tragic death of Paul Scicluna.
» EMU returns sophomores Kate Robinson and Olivia Sipsock, who both earned Freshman All-MAC honors in 2023.
FOUR-STRAIGHT WINS TO START 2024: Eastern started 4-0 for the first time since 1999, the same year as Eastern's lone NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
SIX CLEAN SHEETS: The six clean sheets are the most for EMU in a single season since 2014 (eight).
MUST-WIN AT BGSU, VS KSU: For all intents and purposes, Eastern must win at BGSU, Oct. 24, and against Kent State, Oct. 27, to stay alive in the race to the MAC Tournament. Entering play Thursday, Oct. 24, only Western Michigan (18 points) has surpassed the estimated 16-point MAC Tournament minimum but Ohio (15 points) and Buffalo (15 points) are well on their way to finishing above EMU in the standings. Eastern, which has not made the MAC Tournament since 2019, must win out to reach the 16-point mark. With Akron (2 points) eliminated, Eastern and seven other schools are vying for the final three spots as the Eagles must pass five schools in the standings.
Eastern would be eliminated Thursday if it loses to BGSU AND Toledo beats Western Michigan AND Kent State beats Akron.
Full standings and further information on MAC Tournament six-seed history is available on page four.
4-0-3 AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU is 4-0-3 at Scicluna Field, most recently recording an improbable draw against MAC-leading Western Michigan, which led through 85 minutes before junior Secora Johnson netted a left-footed equalizer.
The Eagles are unbeaten on their home turf through seven matches for the first time since the 1999 team went an impressive 10-0-1 at home. When EMU plays Kent State, Oct. 27, it is seeking its second-ever undefeated home slate.
Entering the season, Eastern had a 22-match home streak since its last victory at Scicluna Field. Eastern had also not secured a home shutout since beating Miami, 3-0, Oct. 18, 2018, breaking a stretch of 39 home contests. EMU broke both streaks by beating Oakland, 1-0, Aug. 15.
TWO QUICK MAC HITS: Heading into action Thursday, Oct. 24, and excluding the two-team PAC-12 (Oregon State, Washington State), the MAC is the only Division I conference in the nation in which all teams have at least five wins. Only three other conferences have all teams with at least four wins (ACC, Big East, SEC).
Every team in the MAC has at least five wins for the first time since 2007 and second time in MAC history (2002). If every team can reach six wins (EMU, CMU, and Akron are at five), it would mark the first time for the league (started sponsoring soccer in 1997).
Helped by Eastern's 3-0 mark, the MAC finished its non-conference home slate with a remarkable combined record of 33-3-4. Nine teams went undefeated (five without a draw) and no team suffered more than one loss in home non-conference action in 2024.
IN THE SERIES WITH BOWLING GREEN: The Eagles and Falcons are tied at 15-15-2 in the series while also being tied 7-7-1 in matches played at BGSU.
Eastern is 0-6-1 in its last seven matches against BGSU with its last win coming Oct. 5, 2017. Four of the last five matches have come at BGSU as Eastern has lost six-consecutive matches in Bowling Green. The Eagles' last won at BGSU, Oct. 6, 2016, Eastern last won via shutout against the Falcons, 3-0, Oct. 30, 2014.
The Eagles have conceded at least three goals to BGSU in three-straight matches.
IN THE SERIES WITH KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes are tied at 14-14-1 in the series.
Eastern is 2-7-1 in its last 10 matches against KSU with its last win coming Oct. 18, 2019. Three of the last four matches have come at EMU as Eastern is seeking its first home win over the Golden Flashes since a 2-0 victory Sept. 21, 2018.
The Eagles have conceded at least three goals to BGSU in three-straight matches.
ELLA HOLLAND, BEST SEASON SINCE...?: After conceding 2.03 goals/match in 2023, redshirt sophomore Ella Holland has produced one of the most impressive seasons in goal for the Eagles in recent memory. Her 0.93 GAA in 2024 is the fifth-best in program history and the best since Maggie Manville's 0.54 GAA mark in 2009. Her .821 save rate is the ninth-best percentage in program history and best since Monique Budani's .874 mark in 2010.
EVERY MINUTE IN GOAL FOR HOLLAND: Redshirt sophomore Ella Holland has played every minute in goal through 15 matches. Kaylin Williams was the last EMU goalkeeper to play every minute through 15 matches as she was credited with every minute played in goal in 2016. Additionally, Holland's 64 saves rank third in the MAC.
MAC saves leaders:
Player Saves School
1. Agnes Stenlund 85 Toledo
2. Allison LaPoint 80 Central Michigan
2. Ella Holland 64 Eastern Michigan
THREE-STRAIGHT CLEAN SHEETS IN THE MAC: Eastern tallied three-straight clean sheets after blanking Toledo, Sept. 26; Ball State, Sept. 29; and Miami, Oct. 6, which marked the first time EMU has recorded three-consecutive shutouts in MAC play since since 2009 (Ohio, Buffalo, and Kent State).
TWO GOALS FOR SOPHIA BAUMANN: Redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann netted the match's first goal at Northern Illinois, Oct. 18, which marked the Eagles' first goal away from home since sophomore Cameryn Susey scored at Cincinnati, Sept. 1. The Eagles had been shutout in five-straight road matches and went scoreless on the road for a span of 492:14 before Baumann's goal. She scored her first career goal against Central Michigan, Sept. 19.
FIRST CAREER GOAL FOR TAYLA MADDOCK: Freshman Tayla Maddock scored her first career goal against Miami, Oct. 6. A corner kick from sophomore Rosalie Takacsy found the head of Maddock, whose shot bounced inside the far post in the 38th minute before eventually serving as the game-winner.
FIRST OCTOBER HOME WIN SINCE 2019: With a 1-0 win over Miami, Oct. 6, the Eagles earned their first win at Scicluna Field in the month of October since Oct. 27, 2019, a 2-1 win over Buffalo. In the 13 home October matches after that win, EMU was 0-11-2 in such matches. Eastern's last home clean sheet in October, prior to Sunday, came against Miami, Oct. 18, 2018, a 3-0 win for EMU (20 October home matches without a clean sheet).
OLIVIA SIPSOCK, THE SCICLUNA SNIPER: Olivia Sipsock has four goals in 2024, three of which have come at Scicluna Field. If she is able to notch a fourth goal on home turf, she would be the first Eagle with four goals at home in one season since Sabrina McNeill in the spring of 2021. Lindsey Shira (2019) was the last Eagle to score five goals at home in one season while Kristin Hullibarger (2018) was the last to net six (and seven) at Scicluna Field.
OLIVIA SIPSOCK GOAL EIGHT SECONDS IN: Olivia Sipsock scored just eight seconds into the match against Youngstown State, Aug. 25, the fastest goal in EMU history and the fastest known goal in the NCAA this season.
OLIVIA SIPSOCK BRACE VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE: Olivia Sipsock scored twice against Youngstown State, Aug. 25, marking her first career brace. Sipsock netted a goal just eight seconds into the match before scoring a second time exactly 66 minutes of game time later.
If Sipsock tallies two goals in another match this season, she would be the first Eagle to record multiple braces in a season since Sabrina McNeill had back-to-back games with two goals in the spring of 2021 and the first to do so twice at Scicluna Field in the same season since Angela Vultaggio in 2013.
OLIVIA SIPSOCK POINT IN FIRST FOUR MATCHES: Olivia Sipsock had at least one point in each of the Eagles' first four matches, the first Eagle to do so since 2012 (Angela Vultaggio).
FOUR GOALS IN THE 85TH-MINUTE OR LATER: The Eagles have scored 13 goals in 2024 with four coming in the match's final six minutes. Sophomore Cameryn Susey scored the match's lone goal at the 84:55 mark vs. Oakland, Aug. 15, while sophomore Sarah Van Euwen scored her first career goal at the 88:05 mark to break a 2-2 draw at UIC, Aug. 22. Susey also scored at Cincinnati, Sept. 1, at the 84:37 before junior Secora Johnson netted a critical equalizer at the 85:09 mark against MAC-leading Western Michigan.
CLARKE + HALL SIMILAR STARTS: A quarter century later, Head Coach Taylor Clarke, the third head coach in program history, had a similar start to his predecessor, Scott Hall, who won his first six matches as head coach in 1999. Clarke won his first four matches. In 1999, Hall led Eastern to the MAC Regular Season title, MAC Tournament title, and EMU's lone NCAA Tournament in program history.
KATE ROBINSON AND OLIVIA SIPSOCK FRESHMEN PHENOMS IN 2023: Then-freshmen Kate Robinson and Olivia Sipsock combined for 25 points in 2023, making up for more than half of the team's 48 points. Robinson was MAC Freshman of the Year and led the MAC in assists while her 13 points topped MAC freshmen marks. Sipsock's 12 points were tied for the second-highest mark in the MAC in 2023. Eastern Michigan is one of four schools to have two players named Freshman All-MAC in 2023.
2023 MAC Freshmen Rankings By Points/Match:
Player Per Match Total Points School
1. Kate Robinson 0.68 13 (3g/7a) Eastern Michigan
2. Olivia Sipsock 0.63 12 (5g/2a) Eastern Michigan
3. Josie Morgan 0.57 12 (5g/2a) Kent State
KATE ROBINSON MAC ASSISTS LEADER IN 2023: Freshman Kate Robinson led the MAC with seven assists, the most by an Eagle since Angela Vultaggio (8), Stephanie Clarke (7), and Martha Stevens (7) all tallied at least seven assists in 2013. Robinson is the first EMU freshman in 16 years and the third freshman in program history to record at least seven assists in a season, joining Jodi Coyle (8, 1997) and Stephanie Janssens (8, 2007).
2023 MAC Assists Leaders:
Player Assists School
1. Kate Robinson 7 Eastern Michigan
2. Delaney Caldwell 6 Kent State
Jenna Blackburn 6 Kent State
Jen Blitchok 6 Bowling Green
Alisa Arthur 6 Kent State
HEAD COACH TAYLOR CLARKE: Taylor Clarke is in his first season at the helm of Eastern Michigan. Clarke is just the third head coach in program history (since 1995). Clarke was previously at Division III's Carroll University with additional stops at the MAC's BGSU (Associate Head Coach, 2021-23), Division II's Ashland (Head Coach, 2018-21; Assistant Coach, 2014-16), Division III's Calvin College (Assistant Coach, 2017-18), and UNC-Wilmington (Assistant Coach, 2016-17). Clarke played his college soccer at Division II Saginaw Valley State, captaining the 2012 squad to the Division II National Championship match.
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH MATT HINDS: Matt Hinds was hired as the team's associate head coach. Hinds spent the last three seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater Division III Calvin College. Hinds, an All-American at Calvin 2017, overlapped with Clarke at Calvin as Clarke was an assistant coach for the Knights at the time. The pair also overlapped at Division II Ashland as Hinds spent one year and a half on staff for the Eagles. Hinds started his coaching journey at Divsion II Malone in 2019.
ASSISTANT COACH MARY CARLSON: Mary Carlson was hired as the team's assistant coach. Carlson, who was a four-year starter at the MAC's Central Michigan, was Girls Associate Head Coach at Grace Christian Academy in Franklin, Tenn. She was also a middle school mathematics teacher at the school for four years while taking on a Boys Assistant Soccer Coach role and Middle School Athletics Assistant role in 2022.
A TRIBUTE TO FORMER HEAD COACH SCOTT HALL: The 2023 season marked the 25th year Scott Hall served as the head coach of the Eastern program before retiring following the conclusion of the 2023 campaign. A former student-athlete at EMU (1990-94) and a four-year assistant coach (1995-98), Hall was part of the first 565 matches the Eagles played in its existence, including 483 as the head coach. He sported a a record of 210-215-67.Winners of three MAC regular season crowns (1999, 2003, and 2013), the three-time MAC Coach of the Year also helped the Eagles reach the 1999 NCAA Tournament, the first and only national tournament appearance in program history.
WHO'S BACK?: The entire eligible roster stuck with the team through the 2024 spring slate, despite the coaching change. Ultimately, heading into the season's first match, only reserve keeper Kevser Guendogdu left the program as she went back to her home country of Germany, leaving the Eagles with a roster of 36 players.
Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the nation in returning players from 2023:
1. Cal Poly - 30
T2. Boise State - 29
T2. Wake Forest - 29
T4. Eastern Michigan - 27
T4. Manhattan - 27
Furthermore, EMU's 27 returners with no collegiate transfers tops McNeese State's mark of 22 returners without a transfer out.
WHO'S NEW?: Eastern Michigan added a trio of transfers (Ela Kisin, Long Island; Lucia Johnson, Akron; Scarlett Thomas, Missouri) to go with six freshmen (Ellery Boeving, Howell, Mich.; Bella Bowen, Peterborough, Ontario; Claire Gonyea, Trenton, Mich.; Emily Kolodin, Grand Blanc, Mich.; Mackenzie Loomis, St. Charles, Ill.; and Tayla Maddock, Camlachie, Ontario).
Thomas, Johnson, Maddock, and Kolodin are the Eagle newcomers that have seen time.
CANADIAN CONNECTION: Eastern Michigan has seven student-athletes from Canada, all of which are from Ontario.
EMU ranks tied for the third in the nation in student-athletes from Canada and second in the nation in student-athletes from Ontario:
1. Maine 13 (four from Ontario)
2. Niagara 8 (all eight from Ontario)
T3. Eastern Michigan 7 (all seven from Ontario)
T3. South Florida 7 (six from Ontario)
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/ SoccerThank You from EMU Soccer!
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Monday, December 01
Cinematic Highlights: Eastern Soccer vs. Kent State
Monday, October 28