Women's Soccer: WVU Closes Out Home Season
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia women’s soccer team closes out its home season with a pair of BIG EAST matches this weekend at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The Mountaineers play host to Syracuse on Friday, Oct. 9, at 5 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 4, WVU battles 11th-ranked St. John’s on “Senior Day” at 1 p.m.
Friday’s match is part of a Mountaineer soccer doubleheader presented by EZToUseBigBook.com. The WVU men’s team will battle Connecticut at 8 p.m. and both matches are “Dollar Night” with all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas available for purchase for just one dollar.
"Syracuse is a team getting better under the leadership of their new coach," says WVU coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. "Phil (Wheddon) is in his second year there and they are a solid team. They have played well in some tough road matches this year and it will be a battle on Friday night."
Syracuse is led by second-year coach Phil Wheddon, the program’s third head coach. In one and a half seasons, Wheddon has led the Orange to a 9-17-5 record.
The Orange carry a record of 4-6-3 into the weekend, including a 1-3-1 mark in BIG EAST play. The Orange is coming off a tough 2-0 loss at home to Louisville on Oct. 4.
Leading the SU offense is redshirt freshman Tina Romagnuolo with a team-best six goals on 43 shots. Romagnuolo spent last season with the Canadian U-20 National Team at the World Cup in Chile.
Defensively, the Orange back line features three new starters alongside junior Marjory Elwell. In goal, however, Syracuse returns senior Eliza Bennett-Hattan – the school’s career leader in shutouts (20). Bennett-Hattan has recorded four shutouts and 53 saves in more than 1,253 minutes of action this season.
West Virginia leads the all-time series with Syracuse by a 5-3-2 count, including a 4-2-0 edge in games played in Morgantown. In their last meeting with the Orange, the Mountaineers tied a school record with eight goals in an 8-0 shutout at home on Sept. 28, 2008. WVU is 2-0-2 in its last four meetings with Syracuse.
Against St. John’s on Sunday, the Mountaineers will wear pink Nike uniforms as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game in joining WVU’s effort to help kick breast cancer. A check presentation will be made at halftime, with the women’s soccer program raising nearly $12,000 for the Betty Puskar Breast Cancer Fund at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.
“St. John’s is a very experienced team with eight senior starters,” says Izzo-Brown. “They have won some big games against some top programs this season. It’s an important game for our seniors and for our program, and where we want to go in postseason play.”
St. John’s enters the weekend with a ranking of 11th in the nation for veteran coach Ian Stone. He is the second-longest tenured coach in the BIG EAST Conference.
The Red Storm sport a 9-2-1 record, including a 3-1-1 BIG EAST mark, and battle Pitt tomorrow night before Sunday’s match in Morgantown. St. John’s league wins have come against Louisville, Connecticut and Syracuse.
A senior-laden lineup led by leading point-scorer, C.J. Lademann, anchor the Red Storm offensive attack. The senior has two goals and five assists for nine points this season. Kaitlin Haas has a team-best three goals.
Defensively, the Red Storm features one of the nation’s top young talents in goalkeeper Kristin Russell. Through 12 games in 2009, the sophomore has recorded six shutouts while allowing only seven goals.
The Mountaineers hold an 8-2-3 advantage in the all-time series with St. John’s, including a 6-1-1 edge in games played in Morgantown. A year ago, the two teams played to a 0-0 double overtime draw in Queens, N.Y. The Red Storm have not scored a goal in the past four meeting with the Mountaineers.
