Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, September 19
Ypsilanti, Mich.
4:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Central Michigan
Photo by: Jonathan Knight
Eastern Soccer Opening MAC Play against CMU, Buffalo
9/17/2024 4:01:00 PM | Soccer
Eagles hosting Chippewas Thursday, Sept. 19, at 4:30 p.m.
| Soccer vs. Central Michigan | at Buffalo | |
| Date | Thursday, Sept. 19 at 4:30 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. |
| Venue | Scicluna Field | Ypsilanti, Mich. | The UB Stadium | Buffalo, N.Y. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch | Watch vs. Central Michigan | Watch at Buffalo |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| @EMUSoccer | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team will open Mid-American Conference play, Sept. 19, against Central Michigan at 4:30 p.m. at Scicluna Field before battling the University at Buffalo, Sept. 22.
ON THE AIR: The Eagles and Chippewas will air on ESPN+ from Scicluna Field with Tom Helmer on the call. EMU and UB will air on YouTube. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
QUICK KICKS:
» 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 dropped three-straight matches.
» Sophomore Olivia Sipsock scored just eight seconds into the match against Youngstown State, Aug. 25, as she netted two goals in the 2-0 win. This was her first career brace and Eastern's first since current junior Hannah Thompson against Kent State, Oct. 6, 2022.
» 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.
3-0 START AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU is seeking its fourth 4-0 start at home in program history and first since 2014. If the Eagles can secure a clean sheet against the Chippewas, Sept. 19, it would mark the first time in program history that Eastern has four-straight shutouts to open the home schedule.
If EMU tops CMU, Sept. 19, it would mark the first time the Eagles have won four-straight matches at home since the 2017 season.
With the 1-0 shutout of Oakland, Aug. 15, EMU earned their 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.
Eastern beat Buffalo, Oct. 27, 2019, in the final home match of 2019 before EMU returned to action in March of 2021 for its last three-match home winning streak.
The Eagles have 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 clean sheets at home falls short of the program-record 10-straight home shutouts in 1999.
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.
Eastern's 4-1 start was its best mark through five matches since 2001. A 5-3 or 6-3 start would mark its best since the spring 2021 team's 6-2 and 6-3 start.
MAC AT HOME IN NON-CONFERENCE: 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.
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 seven 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 605 in 2024, 344 in 2023; Takacsy 544 in 2024, 514 in 2023).
IN THE SERIES WITH CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Eagles lead by a 17-7-4 margin in the all-time series with the Chippewas. The teams met most recently, Sept. 21, 2023, when the Eagles earned their lone win of the 2023 campaign as current sophomore Kate Robinson netted the lone goal of the match via PK in the 73rd minute.
Eastern has scored in eight-straight matches against the Chippewas, its third-longest active streak of scoring against an opponent, and the longest against a MAC foe.
Most consecutive matches with at least one Eastern goal scored (active streaks only):
Opponent Consecutive Games With A Goal
1. Eastern Illinois 13
2. Michigan 9
3. Central Michigan 8
CMU CAMPUS CONNECTIONS: Olivia Sipsock and CMU's Payton Russo are both from Medina, Ohio. Sipsock attended Medina High School and Russo went to IMG Academy.
IN THE SERIES WITH BUFFALO: The Eagles lead by a narrow 11-10-7 margin in the all-time series with the Bulls. The Eagles are seeking their first win at Buffalo since Oct. 19, 2012, a 1-0 win (0-3-1 in last four road matches).
Eastern is 1-6-3 in its last 10 matches against the Bulls with its last win coming Oct. 27, 2019 in Ypsilanti.
The Eagles made a remarkable comeback against Buffalo in the teams' most recent meeting, Oct. 1, 2023, as current senior Meagan Lukowski and current sophomore Olivia Sipsock each scored in the final seven minutes to earn the Eagles one point in the 3-3 draw. Lukowski and Sipsock's goals marked the first time in program history that EMU scored twice in the final seven minutes of regulation.
ROSALIE TAKACSY IN BUFFALO'S BACKYARD: Sophomore Rosalie Takacsy is from Orchard Park, N.Y., located just 19 miles from the University at Buffalo campus.
NO FIELD EAGLES WITH 90 MINUTES: The Eagles snapped a season-opening streak of six matches with at least one field player playing all 90 minutes as none of the EMU field players saw all 90 minutes at Loyola Chicago, Sept. 15. Redshirt sophomore keeper Ella Holland has played every minute in goal while sophomore Sarah Van Euwen played all 90 minutes of each of the first six matches before playing 83 at Loyola Chicago, Sept. 15.
EMILY KOLODIN EAGLE DEBUT: Freshman Emily Kolodin made her Eagle debut at Loyola Chicago, Sept. 15, playing the final three minutes of the opening half. She joins Tayla Maddock as Eastern freshmen that have seen the pitch.
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. This marks Eastern's first brace since current junior Hannah Thompson against Kent State, Oct. 6, 2022.
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, is off to an 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.
SCORELESS IN BACK-TO-BACK MATCHES: The Eagles have been shutout in back-to-back matches for the first time since the final two matches of the 2023 season (vs. Ohio, Oct. 22; at Miami, Oct. 26).
EMU has not been shutout in three-straight matches since the first three matches of the 2021 season.
Eastern has not found the back of the net since Cameryn Susey's goal at the 84:37 mark at Cincinnati, Sept. 1, meaning the Eagles are scoreless in their last 185 minutes and 23 seconds on the pitch.
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. EMU had multiple players on the Freshman All-MAC team for the first time since 2011 (Emily Dzik, Bianca Rossi, and Angela Vultaggio).
Robinson and Sipsock are the top returning freshmen in terms of total points and points/match.
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 Bowling Green State (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 has also been 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. Sporting a record of 210-215-67, Hall guided the Eagles to 15 MAC Tournament appearances with one tournament title secured in three championship match appearances. 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.
WHO'S GONE?: Rebecca Przybylo and Tiffanie Hollingsworth completed their eligibility with the 2023 season. Przybylo finished her career with 192 saves, good for eighth in program history, while Hollingsworth played in 69 career matches, drawing 48 starts as a defender.
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 (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.
SIX DRAWS IN 2023: The Eagles had six draws in 2023, equaling 2009's program record. Eastern Michigan had four-straight draws in home matches for the first time in program history.
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.
UP NEXT: Eastern is scheduled to host the University of Toledo, Sept. 26, at 4:30 p.m. at Scicluna Field.
ON THE AIR: The Eagles and Chippewas will air on ESPN+ from Scicluna Field with Tom Helmer on the call. EMU and UB will air on YouTube. Furthermore, live stats for the match will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
QUICK KICKS:
» 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 dropped three-straight matches.
» Sophomore Olivia Sipsock scored just eight seconds into the match against Youngstown State, Aug. 25, as she netted two goals in the 2-0 win. This was her first career brace and Eastern's first since current junior Hannah Thompson against Kent State, Oct. 6, 2022.
» 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.
3-0 START AT HOME: After three-straight wins at home to open the 2024 home slate, EMU is seeking its fourth 4-0 start at home in program history and first since 2014. If the Eagles can secure a clean sheet against the Chippewas, Sept. 19, it would mark the first time in program history that Eastern has four-straight shutouts to open the home schedule.
If EMU tops CMU, Sept. 19, it would mark the first time the Eagles have won four-straight matches at home since the 2017 season.
With the 1-0 shutout of Oakland, Aug. 15, EMU earned their 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.
Eastern beat Buffalo, Oct. 27, 2019, in the final home match of 2019 before EMU returned to action in March of 2021 for its last three-match home winning streak.
The Eagles have 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 clean sheets at home falls short of the program-record 10-straight home shutouts in 1999.
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.
Eastern's 4-1 start was its best mark through five matches since 2001. A 5-3 or 6-3 start would mark its best since the spring 2021 team's 6-2 and 6-3 start.
MAC AT HOME IN NON-CONFERENCE: 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.
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 seven 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 605 in 2024, 344 in 2023; Takacsy 544 in 2024, 514 in 2023).
IN THE SERIES WITH CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Eagles lead by a 17-7-4 margin in the all-time series with the Chippewas. The teams met most recently, Sept. 21, 2023, when the Eagles earned their lone win of the 2023 campaign as current sophomore Kate Robinson netted the lone goal of the match via PK in the 73rd minute.
Eastern has scored in eight-straight matches against the Chippewas, its third-longest active streak of scoring against an opponent, and the longest against a MAC foe.
Most consecutive matches with at least one Eastern goal scored (active streaks only):
Opponent Consecutive Games With A Goal
1. Eastern Illinois 13
2. Michigan 9
3. Central Michigan 8
CMU CAMPUS CONNECTIONS: Olivia Sipsock and CMU's Payton Russo are both from Medina, Ohio. Sipsock attended Medina High School and Russo went to IMG Academy.
IN THE SERIES WITH BUFFALO: The Eagles lead by a narrow 11-10-7 margin in the all-time series with the Bulls. The Eagles are seeking their first win at Buffalo since Oct. 19, 2012, a 1-0 win (0-3-1 in last four road matches).
Eastern is 1-6-3 in its last 10 matches against the Bulls with its last win coming Oct. 27, 2019 in Ypsilanti.
The Eagles made a remarkable comeback against Buffalo in the teams' most recent meeting, Oct. 1, 2023, as current senior Meagan Lukowski and current sophomore Olivia Sipsock each scored in the final seven minutes to earn the Eagles one point in the 3-3 draw. Lukowski and Sipsock's goals marked the first time in program history that EMU scored twice in the final seven minutes of regulation.
ROSALIE TAKACSY IN BUFFALO'S BACKYARD: Sophomore Rosalie Takacsy is from Orchard Park, N.Y., located just 19 miles from the University at Buffalo campus.
NO FIELD EAGLES WITH 90 MINUTES: The Eagles snapped a season-opening streak of six matches with at least one field player playing all 90 minutes as none of the EMU field players saw all 90 minutes at Loyola Chicago, Sept. 15. Redshirt sophomore keeper Ella Holland has played every minute in goal while sophomore Sarah Van Euwen played all 90 minutes of each of the first six matches before playing 83 at Loyola Chicago, Sept. 15.
EMILY KOLODIN EAGLE DEBUT: Freshman Emily Kolodin made her Eagle debut at Loyola Chicago, Sept. 15, playing the final three minutes of the opening half. She joins Tayla Maddock as Eastern freshmen that have seen the pitch.
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. This marks Eastern's first brace since current junior Hannah Thompson against Kent State, Oct. 6, 2022.
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, is off to an 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.
SCORELESS IN BACK-TO-BACK MATCHES: The Eagles have been shutout in back-to-back matches for the first time since the final two matches of the 2023 season (vs. Ohio, Oct. 22; at Miami, Oct. 26).
EMU has not been shutout in three-straight matches since the first three matches of the 2021 season.
Eastern has not found the back of the net since Cameryn Susey's goal at the 84:37 mark at Cincinnati, Sept. 1, meaning the Eagles are scoreless in their last 185 minutes and 23 seconds on the pitch.
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. EMU had multiple players on the Freshman All-MAC team for the first time since 2011 (Emily Dzik, Bianca Rossi, and Angela Vultaggio).
Robinson and Sipsock are the top returning freshmen in terms of total points and points/match.
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 Bowling Green State (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 has also been 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. Sporting a record of 210-215-67, Hall guided the Eagles to 15 MAC Tournament appearances with one tournament title secured in three championship match appearances. 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.
WHO'S GONE?: Rebecca Przybylo and Tiffanie Hollingsworth completed their eligibility with the 2023 season. Przybylo finished her career with 192 saves, good for eighth in program history, while Hollingsworth played in 69 career matches, drawing 48 starts as a defender.
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 (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.
SIX DRAWS IN 2023: The Eagles had six draws in 2023, equaling 2009's program record. Eastern Michigan had four-straight draws in home matches for the first time in program history.
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.
UP NEXT: Eastern is scheduled to host the University of Toledo, Sept. 26, at 4:30 p.m. at Scicluna Field.
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