LIVE STATS (FRI.) | LIVE VIDEO (FRI.) | LIVE STATS (SUN.)
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women's soccer team will be on the road for a pair of matches this weekend, as the Purple Aces will travel to Eastern Kentucky Friday afternoon for a 4 p.m. contest, before heading to Bowling Green for 12 p.m. match Sunday afternoon.
Evansville (5-2-1) will enter Friday's contest against the Colonels on a four-match unbeaten streak, as the Aces have posted victories over IUPUI, Belmont and Valparaiso, and played to a 1-1 draw with Saint Louis. Last weekend, UE defeated Belmont, 3-0, Friday night, before topping Valpo, 2-1, Sunday afternoon.
Sophomore
Kayla Smith led Evansville offensively by scoring five points on two goals and an assist against the Bruins. Fellow sophomore
Abby Springer scored the game-winner just 17 seconds into the match for her first goal of the season against Belmont, before netting the Aces' first goal in the win over the Crusaders. On the weekend, UE's defense held both BU and Valpo to a combined five shots on goal, earning junior center back
Taylor Brand her fourth-straight Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor.
On the season, Smith leads the Aces with eight points on three goals and two assists, senior
Stephanie Thompson has racked up six points on three goals and Springer ranks third on the squad with five points on a pair of goals and one assist. Sophomore goalkeeper
Simone Busby has posted a 0.62 goals against average and .839 save percentage to go with her 26 saves and three combined shutouts.
As a team, UE has outscored its opponents, 12-5, and allowed just one goal after halftime this season. Evansville has also posted a 155-92 shot advantage and 72-31 shots on goal margin. The Aces are averaging 19.4 shots per game and have taken 39 corner kicks.
Eastern Kentucky (0-6-1) will be looking for its first win of the season, when it welcomes Evansville to Richmond, Ky., Friday afternoon. The Colonels suffered a 4-0 setback to West Virginia in its last match last Friday in Morgantown, W.Va. The Mountaineers limited EKU to just three shots, with Nikki Donnelly recording the lone shot on goal for Eastern Kentucky.
Lauren Fant and Kristan Paynter have combined to score the only two goals for the Colonels this season and are tied for the team lead with two points. Katie Collar and Taylor Perkins have each tallied an assist for one point. In goal, Erika Wolfer has allowed 22 goals in 543:57 of action for a 3.64 goals against average and .614 save percentage. Samm Melton has played 106:03 between the posts, recording three saves and allowing three goals for a 2.55 goals against average and .500 save percentage.
As a team, EKU has been outscored, 25-2, and has allowed 15 second-half tallies. The Eastern Kentucky has also been outshot, 121-59, and have put just 20 shots on frame for a .339 shot on goal percentage. The Colonels' lone result of the season came back on Sept. 6, when they played Xavier to a scoreless tie.
Bowling Green (0-5-0) will also be looking for its first victory of the season Sunday in Bowling Green, Ohio, as the Falcons dropped their fifth-straight contest Thursday afternoon at Detroit. Kaitlyn Tobin led BGSU offensively with a pair of shuts, as Bowling Green was outshot, 20-4, and failed to put a shot on goal. Goalkeeper Lauren Cadel made eight saves for the Falcons.
Four different BGSU players are tied for the team lead with two points on the season, including Haley Malaczewski, who has scored a goal and attempted a team-high five shots. Tobin and Ashley Garr have combined to score Bowling Green's other two goals and Madeline Wideman has tallied a team-best two assists. In goal, Cadel has recorded 42 saves in 458:23 and owns a 2.16 goals against average with a .792 save percentage.
As a team, the Falcons have been outscored, 11-3, and outshot, 123-27. In addition, BGSU has earned just seven corner kicks, while opponents have attempted 27. Bowling Green has put 18 of its 27 shots on goal for a 66.7 percentage.
