GAME NOTES: 10-31 vs. Rochester | 11-2 vs. Case
The Emory University Women's Soccer team, ranked 21st in Division III, will begin a key three-game stretch to end its 2014 regular season this weekend, when the Eagles play host to a pair University Athletic Association (UAA) opponents in the University of Rochester (5-7-3) at 7:30 PM on Friday, October 31st, and Case Western Reserve University (8-4-3) at 1:30 PM on Sunday, November 2nd.
Coverage
Both games will be webcasted live at http://emoryathletics.com/sports/wsoc/live and will have live statistics at http://www.go.emory.edu/LiveStats/WSocc/XLIVE.HTM. The webcasts will be free to view in standard definition, with the option to upgrade to a high definition stream for $6.00.
Senior Day
Prior to the start of Sunday's game against Case Western Reserve, the Eagles will honor the eight graduating seniors from this year's team – forward Charlotte Butker, midfielder Meredith Doherty, forward Emily Feldman, midfielder Jennifer Grant, midfielder Sarah Kuehl, defender Kaelyn Lucas, forward Karina Rodriguez and midfielder Claudia Rowe. Together, these eight players have helped the team notch a record of 57-8-15 – good for a .806 winning percentage – and reached at least as far as the round of 16 of the NCAA Championships each of the last three seasons, including a second-place finish in 2012.
UAA Update
Fourth-ranked Carnegie Mellon holds a narrow lead in the UAA standings with a 3-1-0 record in conference play. Three teams – fifth-ranked Washington (Mo.), 16th-ranked Chicago and New York University – are currently tied for second in the conference with identical 2-1-1 records, while Brandeis and Case Western Reserve are tied for fifth with 1-2-1 records in the UAA. Emory (0-1-3) and Rochester (1-3-0) will open the weekend in seventh and eighth, respectively, in the UAA.
All eight UAA teams will be in action on Friday and Sunday of this weekend. In addition to Emory's game against Rochester on Friday, other UAA games that day include NYU (10-4-1) at Chicago (11-3-1) at 7:00 PM, Case at Carnegie (12-1-0) at 7:30 PM, and Brandeis (11-3-1) at Washington (12-1-2) at 9:00 PM. Other games on Sunday include Rochester at Carnegie Mellon at 11:00 AM, and NYU at Washington and Brandeis at Chicago, both at 2:30 PM
Emory Eagles
The Eagles, now 9-1-5 after a 2-0 win over Birmingham-Southern College on Tuesday, will be returning home to the Woodruff P.E. Center for the first time since October 11th, where the squad holds a 4-1-1 record. Emory, ranked 21st and 13th in the NSCAA and D3Soccer.com National Polls, respectively, are averaging 2.3 goals per game (82nd in D-III to begin the week) and have a 0.49 goals-against average (30th in D-III as of Monday). The team holds a 323-120 advantage in total shots over their opponents this season, including a 179-53 advantage in shots on goal.
Karina Rodriguez leads all Emory scorers this season with six goals, while Emily Feldman has added five of her own. Charlotte Butker has scored four goals (including a team-best three game-winning goals) and assisted on four others for 12 total points, and sophomore Cristina Ramirez has assisted on a team-best six goals and collected three of her own for 12 points as well. In goal, junior Liz Arnold has played a team-high 1,269 minutes, while ranking 40th in D-III with a 0.57 GAA and 91st with an .833 save percentage.
Emory is led by Head Coach Sue Patberg, now in her 10th year with the team. She has compiled a 135-30-31 record with the Eagles entering Tuesday's game, good for a .772 winning percentage. During her 22-year career as a college head coach, which includes stints at Division I programs in Georgia and Minnesota, Patberg is 281-117-49. She is assisted by Rachel Moreland, Caroline Coates and goalkeeper coach Mike Wentzler.
Rochester Yellowjackets
Rochester will come to Atlanta with a 5-7-3 overall record this season, including a 1-4-2 record in games away from home. The team will be attempting to turn around a three-game losing streak, as part of a 1-5-1 stretch over its last seven games. The Yellowjackets have both scored and conceded 17 goals in 2014, ranking 324th among D-III teams with 1.13 goals per game and 148th with a 1.089 goals-against average. Rochester has outshot its opponents 177-155, including an 86-75 edge in shots on goal.
The team's leading scorer this year has been freshman Laura Cowie-Haskell, who has tallied four goals and assisted on two others for 10 points, while freshman Carolina Manent has contributed with three goals and an assist. Senior goalkeeper Aubrey Jaicks has started all 15 games and played all but 57 minutes this season for the Yellowjackets, recording a 1.07 GAA and a .781 save percentage.
The Yellowjackets are under the leadership of Thomas Dardaganis, who is now in his fourth season with the team and has accumulated a ledger of 22-33-10. He is assisted by Ashley Van Vechten, Kristen Hubright and Bridget Lang.
Rochester is the only team in the UAA that the Eagles have a losing record against, with an all-time record of 9-13-5. However, Emory has fared better against the Yellowjackets both at home (7-3-2 all-time in games played in Atlanta) and in recent history (wins in three-straight meetings and a 4-1-1 record in the last six contests). Last season, the Eagles claimed a 2-0 win over Rochester behind unassisted goals from current junior Jordan Morell in the 50th minute and Charlotte Butker in the 58th minute. Feldman and Butker have both have a goal and an assist during their careers against Rochester.
Case Western Reserve Spartans
The Spartans will enter the weekend with an 8-4-3 overall record, including a 3-3-1 record on the road. While the team has won just one of their last four games, the lone victory was a key 2-1 overtime win at home against Washington on October 17th. While not ranked in this week's national polls, the Spartans checked in at fourth in the NSCAA Great Lakes Region rankings, and third in last week's NCAA regional poll. Case began the week ranked 28th among Division III teams with a 0.499 goals-against average, but are 377th among D-III teams with 0.87 goals per game. The Spartans have outscored opponents 13-8 this season, while outshooting opponents 178-141, including a 95-63 edge in shots on goal.
Case's offense has been led by senior forward Jessica Sabers, who has scored five goals this year, including three game-winning goals. Defensively, senior Abbey Smith has played every minute in goal for the Spartans in 2014, ranking 23rd in Division III with a 0.499 goals against average and 35th with a 0.871 save percentage.
Case is led by Head Coach Tiffany Crooks, who is 70-59-17 during her eighth year coaching career, all of which has been spent with the Spartans. She is assisted by Erin Justice, Abby Silvester, Juliann Jeffrey and goalkeeper coach Eric Lapsansky.
Emory is 26-0-1 all-time against Case, including a 13-0-1 record all-time in games played at the Woodruff Physical Education Center. Last season, the Eagles claimed a 1-0 win over the Spartans, with former Eagle Kelly Costopoulos scoring the game winner in the 84th minute off assists from Jennifer Grant and Emily Feldman. Over three career games against Case, Feldman has scored a goal and assisted on four others for six points.
Emory Notes
Freshman Emily Franty was named the UAA Offensive Player of the Week, while junior Jordan Morell was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week last week… Franty scored the first two goals of her career against LaGrange last Wednesday, and Morell played all 90 minutes in the game, helping to hold the Panthers to just one off-target shot… The Eagles are 1-1-5 this season against opponents ranked in last week's NCAA regional polls… Charlotte Butker scored both goals in the Eagles' 2-0 win against Birmingham-Southern on Tuesday, marking the fourth two-goal game of her career… She is now second in school history with 26 career assists, 10th in points (64), tied for 12th in game-winning goals (7) and tied for 15th in goals (19)… She became the fourth Eagle this season to record a two-goal game, along with Claudia Rowe (September 14th vs. Sewanee), Karina Rodriguez (September 21st vs. Capital and October 22nd vs. LaGrange) and Franty (October 22nd vs. LaGrange)… Emory has scored at least one goal in each of its 15 games this season, and in 24 of its last 25 games, dating back to last year.