Women's Soccer | October 18, 2018
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's soccer team makes its final road trip of the regular season, traveling to Kent State on Thursday and Ohio on Sunday. The Broncos and Golden Flashes will do battle at 6 p.m. and then take on the Bobcats at 1 p.m.
LOOKING BACK
WMU split its final weekend home series, losing to Central Michigan, 3-2, and defeating Eastern Michigan, 2-1. The Broncos and Chippewas traded goals to a 2-2 tie late in the second half but just 1:05 after Bailey Korhorn tied the game up for Western Michigan, CMU's Chesney Wargo netted the game winner.
The seniors shined on Senior Day against the Eagles. Senior defender Paige Dobbs gave the Broncos an early 1-0 lead heading in a goal off a corner kick just 6:05 into the first half. EMU tied it up in the 55th minute but senior midfielder Alysa Burke played the ball into the center of the box and senior midfielder Colleen McKay slotted it into the right corner for the game-winner.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Heading into the final three games of the regular season, Western Michigan currently sits alone in third place in the Mid-American Conference standings with 15 points off of a 5-3-0 record. The standings are jam packed with just four points separating second place Ball State, 16 points, with Buffalo and Central Michigan in eighth place, 12 points. WMU will need to finish in the top eight to make the MAC Tournament and a top four finish will give them home field advantage for the MAC Tournament Quarterfinals. Kent State currently sits tied with Toledo in fifth place with 13 points, while Ohio sits alone in fourth place with 14 points.
KENT STATE AT A GLANCE
The Golden Flashes (8-6-2, 4-3-1 MAC) head into Thursday's game winless in their last two, losing 3-1 at Bowling Green and tying Toledo 0-0 last weekend. The loss to the Falcons snapped a four-game winning streak.
Vital Kats, Isabelle Mihail and Maddie Holmes all are tied for the team lead with five goals this season, while Kats also has seven assists for a team-high 17 points. Faith O'Neill has seen the majority of the action between the sticks, starting in 13 games with a 6-5-2 record, four shutouts, 39 saves and a 1.40 goals against average.
OHIO AT A GLANCE
The Bobcats (6-6-3, 4-2-2) split on the road last weekend, blanking Toledo 1-0 but falling at Bowling Green 3-1. Ohio is 2-1-2 this season at home.
OU averages 1.07 goals per game, with Alivia Milesky and Abby Townsend leading the team with four goals this season. Sydney Malham has started in 11 games at goalkeeper with a 5-3-1 record, a 0.93 goals against average and 44 saves. Three of Malham's five wins have been shutouts.
ON THE HORIZON
WMU closes out the regular season next Thursday, hosting Northern Illinois at the WMU Soccer Complex at 3 p.m.
