Miami Set to Open MAC Play

RedHawks host Kent State, Buffalo over the weekend

OXFORD, Ohio – Off to its best start since 2002 and winners of four straight, the Miami University women’s soccer team looks to keep its momentum rolling as the RedHawks begin Mid-American Conference play Friday by welcoming Kent State before Buffalo comes calling Sunday. First touch Friday is at 4 p.m. while Sunday’s match is set for 1 p.m. with both games at Miami Soccer Field.

Miami (7-2-0) concluded non-conference play last weekend by knocking off Eastern Illinois, 2-0, on Friday and holding the Panthers to just one shot all match, while also topping Evansville, 3-2, Sunday. Junior Giselle Mangal (Mississauga, Ont.) scored the first two goals of her RedHawk career in Sunday’s win, including the game-winner in the 81st minute.

The RedHawks have been strong offensively this season, as 13 different ‘Hawks have found the back of the net already in 2010 compared just 11 all of last season. Miami has also scored at least two goals in each of its first nine matches in 2010, something never before achieved in program history, as the RedHawks have tallied 32 goals or 3.56 per game, both tops in the conference by a wide margin (Toledo and Western Michigan are second at 2.12 per game). Sophomore Jess Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) leads Miami and is tied for the MAC lead with five goals while ranking first in the league in both assists (with seven) and points (with 17). Freshman Sam Whitmore (Cincinnati, Ohio) is tied for third in the MAC with four goals, as is junior Sarah Dessfelt (Vellinge, Sweden), who is also tied for second in the conference with 11 points.

Miami is eighth in the MAC in goals-against average at 1.44, having allowed 13 goals so far in 2010. The ‘Hawks gave up just 14 in all of 2009, which was a school record. Redshirt freshman keeper Kris Gasparovic (Rochester, Mich.) has pitched shutouts in both of her starts this season while senior Rachelle Boff (Naples, Fla.) leads the team with four wins and has a 2.00 GAA.

Kent State (1-3-3) enters MAC play on a four-game winless streak, coming off a 1-1 tie at Indiana Friday and a 2-1 defeat at IUPUI Sunday. The Golden Flashes lone win was a 2-1 victory at Florida Gulf Coast on Sept. 3. Freshman Jessacca Gironda is tied with Kodiak for the league lead with five goals while tying with Dessfelt for second in points with 11 – both team bests. Megan Repas leads KSU with a pair of assists. The Flashes average 1.14 goals per game, which ties for fifth in the MAC, while giving up 1.57 (eighth). Keeper Kelly Sherwood has started all seven games in net and has a 1.45 GAA and a .656 save percentage.

The RedHawks and Golden Flashes are deadlocked at 6-6-1 in the all-time series with KSU taking last year’s match in Kent, 1-0. Kent State has also won four of the last five meetings between the teams. Miami will be looking for its first MAC-opening win since 2006 on Friday as well, as the ‘Hawks are 5-6-2 all-time in MAC openers.

Buffalo (1-7-0), who will play at Bowling Green Friday before heading south to Oxford, has lost four in a row since picking up its lone win – a 3-2 victory over St. Bonaventure on Sept. 3. The Bulls have struggled to score, tallying just five goals all year, as its 0.62 goals per game ranks last in the league. Buffalo has also allowed a league-worst 21 goals, or 2.62 per contest. Megan Abman and Natasha Arana each have two scores to pace the Bulls. Ainsley Weldon has a 2.56 GAA in seven starts in goal and a .694 save percentage with 43 saves for UB.

Miami has controlled the series with Buffalo, going 11-1-2 all-time, including winning five of the last six meetings. The ‘Hawks and Bulls played to a 1-1 draw in last year’s MAC opener at Buffalo.

Both games this weekend will have Gametracker available at MURedHawks.com. Following this weekend’s action, Miami wraps up a six-game home stand against defending MAC champion Central Michigan Oct. 1 and Eastern Michigan Oct. 3.