Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, October 10
Athens, Ohio
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Ohio
Photo by: Jonathan Knight
Eastern Soccer Facing 2023 MAC Champions: Ohio, Western Michigan
10/8/2024 4:27:00 PM | Soccer
Bobcats, 2023 MAC Tournament champs, and Broncos, 2023 MAC Regular Season champs, each have just one loss
| Soccer at Ohio | vs. Western Michigan | |
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. |
| Venue | Chessa Field | Athens, Ohio | Scicluna Field | Ypsilanti, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch | Watch at Ohio | Watch vs. Western Michigan |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| @EMUSoccer | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team is set for a pair of critical matches this week at Ohio Thursday, Oct. 10, and home against Western Michigan Sunday, Oct. 13.
ON THE AIR: The Eagles and Bobcats will air on ESPN+ from Chessa Field with Sam Hyman and Stephen Koroly on the call. EMU against WMU will also air on ESPN+ with Tom Helmer on the call. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
QUICK KICKS:
» Freshman Tayla Maddock netted her first career goal in the 38th-minute off a corner kick from sophomore Rosalie Takacsy to help the Eagles beat Miami, Oct. 6.
» 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 1-4-3 in their last eight matches, most recently topping Miami, Oct. 6.
» 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.
4-0-2 START AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU is 4-0-2 at Scicluna Field, most recently topping Miami, Oct. 6.
The Eagles are unbeaten on their home turf through six matches for the first time since the 1999 team went an impressive 10-0-1 at home.
With the 1-0 shutout of Oakland, Aug. 15, EMU earned its first victory at Scicluna Field since topping Morehead State by a 2-1 scoreline, Sept. 5, 2021, as Eastern snapped a 22-match home streak since its last victory at Scicluna Field. Eastern had not secured a home shutout since beating Miami, 3-0, Oct. 18, 2018, breaking a stretch of 39 home contests.
To start the home schedule, the Eagles recorded three-straight shutouts at Scicluna Field for the first time since 2008-09, when Eastern had a clean sheet in its final three home matches of 2008 and first home match of 2009.
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 THROUGH 12 MATCHES: Eastern has six clean sheets through 12 matches for the first time since 2009. The six clean sheets are the most for EMU in a single season since 2014 (eight).
A seventh clean sheet against Ohio or WMU would mark the first time the Eagles have recorded seven shutouts in the season's first 13 or 14 matches since 1999 (nine through 13 matches).
THREE-STRAIGHT CLEAN SHEETS IN THE MAC: Eastern has three-straight clean sheets after blanking Toledo, Sept. 26; Ball State, Sept. 29; and Miami, Oct. 6, which marks the first time EMU has recorded three-consecutive shutouts in MAC play since since 2009 (Ohio, Buffalo, and Kent State).
Eastern last had four-straight shutouts in MAC regular season play to start the 1999 MAC slate and last had four-straight clean sheets also in 1999 (all against MAC foes, three of which came in the MAC Tournament).
The Eagles have never tallied five-straight shutouts.
TWO QUICK MAC HITS: Heading into action Thursday, Oct. 10, 11 of the 12 MAC schools have a .500 record or better as Toledo is one win shy of .500. Excluding the two-team PAC-12 (Oregon State, Washington State), the MAC is the only Division I conference in the nation to not have multiple teams under .500 overall. Furthermore, excluding the two-team PAC-12, the MAC is the only conference in which all teams have at least four wins. Only four other conferences have all teams with at least three wins (ACC, Big 12, SEC, Summit).
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 OHIO: The Eagles trail by a 13-14-4 margin in the all-time series with the Bobcats. The teams met most recently, Oct. 22, 2023, a 1-0 loss for Eastern in Athens. Including Thursday's match, five of the last six matches have been played away from EMU.
Eastern is 1-6-0 in its last seven matches against the Bobcats with its last win coming Nov. 8, 2019. The Eagles have lost four-straight matches in Athens with their last win coming by a 3-1 margin, Oct. 16, 2015.
The Eagles have conceded at least one goal against OU in seven-consecutive matches and are seeking their first clean sheet in Athens since Oct. 18, 2013.
IN THE SERIES WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles trail by a 15-16-4 margin in the all-time series with the Broncos. The teams met most recently, Oct. 15, 2023, a 3-0 loss for Eastern in Ypsilanti.
Eastern and Western have alternated wins and losses each of the nine matches, setting up the Eagles with an expected win in 2024, if the trend were to continue.
The Eagles have conceded at least one goal against WMU in seven-consecutive matches and are seeking their first clean sheet against the Broncos since a 3-0 win, Oct. 19, 2017.
INCREASED ROLES FOR VAN EUWEN, TAKACSY IN 2024: Sophomore outside backs Sarah Van Euwen and Rosalie Takacsy have seen vastly increased roles in the 2024 season when compared to the 2023 campaign. Both players have started all 12 matches in 2024 after each started two matches in 2023.
Furthermore, both players have already eclipsed their 2023 minutes totals as they lead the Eastern field players in minutes played so far this season (Van Euwen 1,055 in 2024, 344 in 2023; Takacsy 883 in 2024, 807 in 2023), gaining reputations as two of the MAC's best defenders.
EVERY MINUTE IN GOAL FOR HOLLAND: Redshirt sophomore Ella Holland has played every minute in goal through 12 matches, the first Eagle to play every minute in the first 12 matches since defender Sarah Ash never left the pitch through the first 12 matches of the 2021 season. Kaylin Williams was the last EMU goalkeeper to play every minute through 12 matches as she was credited with every minute played in goal in 2016. Her 44 saves rank second in the MAC.
MAC saves leaders:
Player Saves School
1. Allison LaPoint 66 Central Michigan
2. Ella Holland 48 Eastern Michigan
t3.Agnes Stenlund 46 Toledo
t3.Lexie Thompson 46 Buffalo
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).
FIRST CAREER GOAL FOR SOPHIA BAUMANN: Redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann scored her first career goal against Central Michigan, Sept. 19. A deep pass from junior Mary Grimes found the foot of Baumann, who made a couple of strong dribbles to the left, and fired a left-footed strike past the CMU keeper from 10 yards out.
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).
TWO GAME-WINNERS 85TH-MINUTE OR LATER: 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.
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 Bobcats will air on ESPN+ from Chessa Field with Sam Hyman and Stephen Koroly on the call. EMU against WMU will also air on ESPN+ with Tom Helmer on the call. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
QUICK KICKS:
» Freshman Tayla Maddock netted her first career goal in the 38th-minute off a corner kick from sophomore Rosalie Takacsy to help the Eagles beat Miami, Oct. 6.
» 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 1-4-3 in their last eight matches, most recently topping Miami, Oct. 6.
» 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.
4-0-2 START AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU is 4-0-2 at Scicluna Field, most recently topping Miami, Oct. 6.
The Eagles are unbeaten on their home turf through six matches for the first time since the 1999 team went an impressive 10-0-1 at home.
With the 1-0 shutout of Oakland, Aug. 15, EMU earned its first victory at Scicluna Field since topping Morehead State by a 2-1 scoreline, Sept. 5, 2021, as Eastern snapped a 22-match home streak since its last victory at Scicluna Field. Eastern had not secured a home shutout since beating Miami, 3-0, Oct. 18, 2018, breaking a stretch of 39 home contests.
To start the home schedule, the Eagles recorded three-straight shutouts at Scicluna Field for the first time since 2008-09, when Eastern had a clean sheet in its final three home matches of 2008 and first home match of 2009.
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 THROUGH 12 MATCHES: Eastern has six clean sheets through 12 matches for the first time since 2009. The six clean sheets are the most for EMU in a single season since 2014 (eight).
A seventh clean sheet against Ohio or WMU would mark the first time the Eagles have recorded seven shutouts in the season's first 13 or 14 matches since 1999 (nine through 13 matches).
THREE-STRAIGHT CLEAN SHEETS IN THE MAC: Eastern has three-straight clean sheets after blanking Toledo, Sept. 26; Ball State, Sept. 29; and Miami, Oct. 6, which marks the first time EMU has recorded three-consecutive shutouts in MAC play since since 2009 (Ohio, Buffalo, and Kent State).
Eastern last had four-straight shutouts in MAC regular season play to start the 1999 MAC slate and last had four-straight clean sheets also in 1999 (all against MAC foes, three of which came in the MAC Tournament).
The Eagles have never tallied five-straight shutouts.
TWO QUICK MAC HITS: Heading into action Thursday, Oct. 10, 11 of the 12 MAC schools have a .500 record or better as Toledo is one win shy of .500. Excluding the two-team PAC-12 (Oregon State, Washington State), the MAC is the only Division I conference in the nation to not have multiple teams under .500 overall. Furthermore, excluding the two-team PAC-12, the MAC is the only conference in which all teams have at least four wins. Only four other conferences have all teams with at least three wins (ACC, Big 12, SEC, Summit).
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 OHIO: The Eagles trail by a 13-14-4 margin in the all-time series with the Bobcats. The teams met most recently, Oct. 22, 2023, a 1-0 loss for Eastern in Athens. Including Thursday's match, five of the last six matches have been played away from EMU.
Eastern is 1-6-0 in its last seven matches against the Bobcats with its last win coming Nov. 8, 2019. The Eagles have lost four-straight matches in Athens with their last win coming by a 3-1 margin, Oct. 16, 2015.
The Eagles have conceded at least one goal against OU in seven-consecutive matches and are seeking their first clean sheet in Athens since Oct. 18, 2013.
IN THE SERIES WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles trail by a 15-16-4 margin in the all-time series with the Broncos. The teams met most recently, Oct. 15, 2023, a 3-0 loss for Eastern in Ypsilanti.
Eastern and Western have alternated wins and losses each of the nine matches, setting up the Eagles with an expected win in 2024, if the trend were to continue.
The Eagles have conceded at least one goal against WMU in seven-consecutive matches and are seeking their first clean sheet against the Broncos since a 3-0 win, Oct. 19, 2017.
INCREASED ROLES FOR VAN EUWEN, TAKACSY IN 2024: Sophomore outside backs Sarah Van Euwen and Rosalie Takacsy have seen vastly increased roles in the 2024 season when compared to the 2023 campaign. Both players have started all 12 matches in 2024 after each started two matches in 2023.
Furthermore, both players have already eclipsed their 2023 minutes totals as they lead the Eastern field players in minutes played so far this season (Van Euwen 1,055 in 2024, 344 in 2023; Takacsy 883 in 2024, 807 in 2023), gaining reputations as two of the MAC's best defenders.
EVERY MINUTE IN GOAL FOR HOLLAND: Redshirt sophomore Ella Holland has played every minute in goal through 12 matches, the first Eagle to play every minute in the first 12 matches since defender Sarah Ash never left the pitch through the first 12 matches of the 2021 season. Kaylin Williams was the last EMU goalkeeper to play every minute through 12 matches as she was credited with every minute played in goal in 2016. Her 44 saves rank second in the MAC.
MAC saves leaders:
Player Saves School
1. Allison LaPoint 66 Central Michigan
2. Ella Holland 48 Eastern Michigan
t3.Agnes Stenlund 46 Toledo
t3.Lexie Thompson 46 Buffalo
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).
FIRST CAREER GOAL FOR SOPHIA BAUMANN: Redshirt sophomore Sophia Baumann scored her first career goal against Central Michigan, Sept. 19. A deep pass from junior Mary Grimes found the foot of Baumann, who made a couple of strong dribbles to the left, and fired a left-footed strike past the CMU keeper from 10 yards out.
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).
TWO GAME-WINNERS 85TH-MINUTE OR LATER: 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.
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)
Players Mentioned
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/ SoccerCinematic Highlights: Eastern Soccer vs. Kent State
Monday, October 28
Cinematic Highlights: Soccer vs. Western Michigan
Monday, October 14
Cinematic Highlights: Eastern Soccer vs. Miami
Monday, October 07
Cinematic Highlights: Eastern Soccer vs. Toledo
Friday, September 27