WOMEN'S SOCCER BEGINS THREE GAME CONFERENCE ROAD SWING

10/16/2007

Game #14: Sacramento State Hornets at Montana Grizzlies
Friday, Oct. 19, South Campus Stadium, 4 p.m.

Game #15: Sacramento State Hornets at Eastern Washington Eagles
Sunday, Oct. 21, EWU Sports and Recreation Center, 11 a.m.

AT A GLANCE
    For the second week of Big Sky Conference play, the Hornets will hit the road for contests at Montana and Eastern Washington. The Grizzlies enter the week at 1-1-0 in the conference, after shutting out Northern Arizona 2-0 before falling to Northern Colorado on the road 2-1. Sara Campbell leads the team with two goals on the season, while six other players have tallied the scoring column. Montana currently holds a 1-3 record at South Campus Stadium, and was picked to finish second behind the Hornets in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches poll. The last time the two teams met was in the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinal a season ago, where the teams tied, 2-2, but Sacramento State prevailed in penalty kicks. Eastern Washington dropped its first two conference matches, falling to Northern Colorado, 3-1, and Northern Arizona, 3-2, on the road. Abby Jensen has four goals on the season to pace the Eagles, while Chelsey Hannesson and Cyetta Mott have posted three apiece. The Eagles are 1-1-0 at home this season, with their match on Friday against Portland State marking their first home contest since Sept. 14. Last season, Sacramento State collected a 2-1 home victory, as former Hornet Kelly Novak connected on the game-winner in the 84th minute. Montana holds a 6-3-2 all-time mark against Sacramento State during the Big Sky era, with both ties coming last season. The Hornets lead the all-time series against Eastern Washington with a 5-3-1 mark, with the Eagles three wins coming in consecutive seasons from 2002-2004.

HORNETS OFFENSE RANKED IN NCAA TOP 30
    Sacramento State’s scoring offense is currently ranked 28th in the nation in games played through Oct. 14. The Hornets are averaging 2.23 goals per game, trailing national leader Florida State, who is posting goals at a rate of 3.5 per game.
    Sacramento State also ranks in the top 100 nationally in win-loss-tie percentage (74th, 0.654), save percentage (81st, 0.818), goals against average (97th, 1.0), and shutout percentage (100th, 0.385).
    Individually, senior Katie McCoy ranks 26th in assists per game (0.54), 36th in points per game (1.62), and 82nd in goals per game (0.54). Sophomore Mandy Trojan ranks 64th nationally in save percentage (0.82) and 92nd in goals against average (0.98), while fellow sophomore Kim Kemper ranks 94th in assists per game (0.38).
  
McCOY CONTINUES CLIMB UP CAREER CHARTS
    Senior Katie McCoy now sits in a tie with Jessica Mackiewicz (1998-99) for third place on the all-time charts with 20 goals.
    McCoy is already the all-time leader in Sacramento State history with 22 assists, and sits alone in second place in school history with 62 points. Her seven assists in 2007 tie her own single-season program mark she set back in 2006.

FRIENDLY CONFINES OF HORNET SOCCER FIELD
    The Hornets are unbeaten at 7-0-1 in matches contested at Hornet Soccer Field this season. Sacramento State has outscored its opponents 23-3 in its eight home games in 2007, and has not trailed while defending its home pitch. Going back to last season, the Hornets are unbeaten in their last 12 matches at home, posting an impressive 10-0-2 mark that dates back to Oct. 13, 2006. In the last three seasons, the Hornets are 18-4-4 (.769) at Hornet Soccer Field.

HORNETS BATTLE IDAHO STATE TO 1-1 DRAW
    Sacramento State battled conference rival Idaho State to a 1-1 tie on Sunday, Oct. 14 at Hornet Soccer Field.
    The first half started out as a midfield battle, with neither team having the upper hand through the first 35 minutes of the half. In the 36th minute, however, Sacramento State was able to take advantage of a Bengal miscue as Idaho State ‘keeper Maren Eves misplayed a ball that was fed to her by her own backline. This enabled sophomore Kim Kemper to corral the ball and chip it back over the head of Eves for a goal, giving the Hornets the 1-0 advantage.
    The lead would not last long, as in the 39th minute ISU’s Jana Boehler was able to dribble past a Hornet defender and take advantage of the aggression of Hornet ‘keeper Mandy Trojan, who was cheating up on the play, to blast a shot into the upper left corner of the net, over Trojan, to tie the game at 1-1.
    The second half became much more of an up-and-down the field battle, as the two teams, who had combined for 11 shots in the first half, each had over a dozen shots in half number two. The Bengals best opportunity to take the lead came in the 69th minute, as Kilee Quigley found herself with the ball and an open net in front of her, but coming from the near post, Hornet senior Katie Burton was able to block the ball with her body for a team save, keeping the game locked at 1-1.
    The Hornets best chance came in the 78th minute, as freshman Leah Larot took a lead pass and streaked toward the goal, but had her shot just go wide.
    In the overtime sessions, both teams had one solid opportunity to end the contest with a victory. Sacramento State senior Katie McCoy had an open run toward the near post in the 103rd minute, but her shot toward the far post was saved by Eves and play continued. Then in the 106th minute, Boehler, looking for her second goal of the game, had a header hit the post. The rebound came to Annamarie Hofstetter, whose shot was saved by Trojan, and the contest ended in a 1-1 tie.
    The Bengals outshot the Hornets for the match 25-18, including an 11-8 edge in shots on goal. Eves and Trojan both had solid days in goal, with the Bengal ‘keeper posting seven saves and the Hornet ‘keeper collecting nine.
    Kilee Quigley led the Bengal offense with five shots, including three on goal. The Hornets were led by Kemper and senior Katie McCoy, who each had three shots and put two on goal, and freshman Erin Tarantio and senior Amanda Gray, who had three shots with one on goal.
    The match marked the third straight overtime battle between the two clubs, who tied in the Big Sky Championship game a season ago before the Bengals were awarded the title on penalty kicks.

BURTON’S GOLDEN GOAL SPELLS DOOM FOR WEBER STATE
    On a rainy and cold afternoon, Sacramento State was able to battle the elements and pick up its seventh home victory in a row, posting a 2-1 double overtime victory over the visiting Weber State Wildcats on Friday, Oct. 12 at Hornet Soccer Field.
    Sacramento State struck first in the contest, as in the 11th minute, sophomore Kim Kemper sent a beautiful cross to the right foot of senior Amanda Gray, who was able to volley it into the back of the net to give the homestanding Hornets a 1-0 lead.
    Weber State had an answer in the 20th minute, as Hayley McCoy collected an errant clearance pass and rocketed a shot from the top of box for a goal which tied the game at 1-1.
    The evenly matched teams then battled over the remainder of regulation to find the go-ahead goal, but neither team was able to put away chances on goal.
    In the first overtime period, the Hornets had a strong opportunity to start the session, as freshman Leah Larot had her close shot from the near post saved by Wildcat ‘keeper Rebecca Ritchie.
    The game entered the second overtime period, where the Hornets were able to find the game winner just 52 seconds in, as freshman Erin Tarantino’s shot was blocked by the Weber State defense, but came out to senior Katie Burton, who rifled a shot past Ritchie from 10 yards out to record the 2-1 victory.
    Burton’s third career goal, and first of 2007, propelled the Hornets to their second straight home overtime victory, and their second straight victory over Weber State to start the conference season.
    Gray, Tarantino and senior Katie McCoy led the Hornets with three shots apiece, while sophomore goalkeeper Mandy Trojan collected four saves. The Wildcats goal was the first allowed by Trojan at home this season.