Eastern Soccer Closing Regular Season at Akron Thursday

Soccer at Akron
Date	Thursday, Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.
Venue	FirstEnergy Stadium \| Akron, Ohio
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Watch	Watch at Akron
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUS occer \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team is set to conclude the Mid-American Conference regular season with a crucial match at the University of Akron, Oct. 31. With a win, Eastern would keep its MAC Tournament hopes alive.

ON THE AIR: The Eagles and Zips will air on ESPN+ from FirstEnergy Stadium. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.

QUICK KICKS:
»  Senior Maddie O'Farrell scored her third goal of the season just 4:28 into the match Sunday, Oct. 27, to lead Eastern to a pivotal 1-0 win over Kent State. Redshirt sophomore Ella Holland made a highlight-reel save with just 40 seconds left to preserve the victory.
»  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 eight 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.
»  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.

MUST-WIN AT AKRON: In order to stay alive for MAC Tournament contention, Eastern must win at Akron Thursday.

Based on expected MAC tiebreaker rules, the Eagles are also expected to need at least four of the following five things to happen, in order to qualify:
-Central Michigan loss OR draw against Buffalo
-Toledo loss OR draw against Ball State
-Miami loss OR draw against Ohio
-Northern Illinois loss at Western Michigan
-Kent State loss to Bowling Green

Eastern is expected to have the advantage in any potential MAC-Tournament-related tiebreaker, except those involving NIU.

UNDEFEATED AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU finished 2024 5-0-3 at Scicluna Field, most recently topping Kent State, 1-0, Oct. 27.

The Eagles went unbeaten on their home turf for the first time since the 1999 team went an impressive 10-0-1 at home and earned 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.

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.

EIGHT CLEAN SHEETS: The eight clean sheets are the most for EMU in a single season since 2014 (eight). Eastern has five in the MAC, which are the most for EMU in a single season since 2014 (five).

IN THE SERIES WITH AKRON: The Eagles leads the Zips, 14-6-2, in the all-time series, including a 7-4-1 mark in Akron.

Eastern is 1-3 in its last four matches against Akron with its last win coming Sept. 29, 2022, at UA.

The Eagles have conceded multiple goals to Akron in four-straight matches.

THREE GOALS FOR MADDIE O'FARRELL: Senior Maddie O'Farrell scored her third goal of the season against Kent State, Oct. 27, in a crucial win for the Eagles. O'Farrell scored from 12 yards out just 4:28 into the match off assists from senior Meagan Lukowski and redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann.

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 0.82 GAA in 2024 is the fourth-best in program history and the best since Maggie Manville's 0.54 GAA mark in 2009. Her .837 save rate is the seventh-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 17 matches. Kaylin Williams was the last EMU goalkeeper to do so as she was credited with every minute played in goal in 2016. Additionally, Holland's 73 saves rank third in the MAC.

MAC saves leaders:
Player    Saves                              School
1. Allison LaPoint        93          Central Michigan
2. Agnes Stenlund       85                          Toledo
3.           Ella Holland 73                          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)

TWO WITH FIVE GOALS IN 2023: Then-junior Meagan Lukowski and then-freshman Olivia Sipsock each had five goals in 2023, marking the first time the Eagles have had multiple players with five or more goals in a season since 2019 when Amanda Cripps (7), Kristin Hullibarger (7), Sabrina McNeill (7), and Lindsey Shira (6) all scored at least five goals.

NO POSTSEASON SINCE 2019: Eastern Michigan has not advanced to the MAC Tournament since falling in the championship match in 2019. The Eagles were 6-3 in the MAC in 2020 but the MAC Tournament was not played due to COVID-19. Prior to the current streak, the Eagles had never previously missed the MAC Tournament in back-to-back seasons.

FOLLOW ALONG: You can follow the Eagles on your favorite social media platforms, including Twitter (@EMUSoccer), Instagram (@EMUSoccer), and Facebook (Eastern Michigan Soccer).

UP NEXT: If Eastern qualifies for the MAC Tournament, it would play Sunday, Nov. 3, if the MAC Tournament Quarterfinals against a team to-be-determined.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sophia Baumann

Ellery Boeving

Bella Bowen

Claire Gonyea

Kevser Guendogdu

Ella Holland

Lucia Johnson

Secora Johnson

Ela Kisin

Emily Kolodin

Mackenzie Loomis

Meagan Lukowski

Tayla Maddock

Maddie O'Farrell

Kate Robinson

Olivia Sipsock

Cameryn Susey

Rosalie Takacsy

Scarlett Thomas

Sarah Van Euwen

Eastern Michigan Athletics