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Blue Demons Travel West
CHICAGO – Winners of eight of their last nine matches, the DePaul women’s soccer team steps out of Conference USA play this weekend for games at Air Force and Colorado College. DePaul and Air Force tangle on Friday night before the Blue Demons stay in Colorado Springs to take on Colorado College on Sunday afternoon. The club enters the weekend at 8-2-0 overall while Air Force is 4-4-1, and Colorado College stands at 3-5-1.
Noting the Blue Demons DePaul’s 8-2-0 start is the best in the program’s eight seasons… the 4-0-0 beginning in C-USA play is also a program first… with two more wins, the club will match the single-season victory total set last year… they have outscored their opponents, 18-6, with five shutouts… DePaul’s single-season record is six shutouts set last year… the Blue Demons have allowed just two second-half goals this season, outscoring their opponents 14-2 in the second half and overtime… they have also taken 178 shots compared to 117 for the opposition… Julianne Sitch leads the club and Conference USA with 20 points and nine goals… on DePaul’s 18 goals, there have been 14 assists… in addition to Sitch, six other players have scored at least one goal this season… freshman Lauren Spacht is second on the team with nine points on three goals and three assists… the Blue Demons play the next four games on the road… they play four of the last five at Wish Field… in non-conference matches over the last three seasons, DePaul is 17-7… all time in Conference USA play (seven years), the club holds a 14-55-6 record… head coach John Wilson is in his fourth season with the Blue Demons.
All Alone With the two overtime wins last weekend at Memphis and UAB, the DePaul women’s soccer team took sole possession of first place in Conference USA. At 4-0-0 in league play, the Blue Demons are ahead of USF at 3-0-1 and Saint Louis, TCU, Tulane and UAB at 3-1-0.
In the preseason C-USA Coaches Poll, DePaul was picked to finish ninth, just ahead of USF at No. 10. The preseason favorite, Cincinnati, is currently 1-3-0 in league action.
This weekend all league teams are taking a break from C-USA play and will return to conference action on Friday, Oct. 10.
Conference USA Standings (C-USA record) 1. DePaul (4-0-0) 2. USF (3-0-1) 3. Saint Louis (3-1-0) 3. TCU (3-1-0) 3. Tulane (3-1-0) 3. UAB (3-1-0) 7. East Carolina (2-1-1) 8. Marquette (2-2-0) 9. Louisville (1-2-1) 10. Cincinnati (1-3-0) 11. Charlotte (0-3-1) 11. Memphis (0-3-1) 11. Southern Miss (0-3-1) 14. Houston (0-4-0)
The Honors Keep Rolling In After setting DePaul’s single-season scoring record as a freshman, Julianne Sitch hasn’t missed a step through 10 matches in 2003. The midfielder/forward has been named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week three times while also garnering National Elite Team of the Week honors from Soccer Buzz. Sitch is the only player in the league to garner Player of the Week recognition on more than one occasion. She leads the league in shots, points, goals and game-winning goals.
Through 29 career matches, she owns two career records. Her 41 career points are ranked first in DePaul history as are the 17 career goals. The sophomore is tied for second all-time with seven assists
Conference USA Offensive Players of Week Sept. 2 – Meghan McCallion, So., F, East Carolina & Jessica Traver, Fr., F, Tulane Sept. 8 – Julianne Sitch, So., MF/F, DePaul & Carolyn Klopp, Sr., MF/F, Marquette Sept. 15 – Nikki Hawkins, Jr., MF, Houston & Lindsay Morris, Jr., F, Tulane Sept. 22 – Julianne Sitch, So., MF/F, DePaul & Jill Knottek, Sr., F, UAB Sept. 29 – Julianne Sitch, So., MF/F, DePaul
Conference USA Defensive Players of the Week Sept. 2 – Leah Peterson, Fr., D, Tulane Sept. 8 – Katie Bissen, Jr., GK, Marquette Sept. 15 – Penny Perrott, Sr., D, East Carolina Sept. 22 – Kara Kornfeld, Jr., D, Saint Louis Sept. 29 – Megan Morey, So., GK, Tulane
Ranked in the Region For the first time in the program’s eight-year history, the DePaul women’s soccer team is ranked in the Great Lakes region by Soccer Buzz and the NSCAA. The Blue Demons are posted at No. 8 in the Great Lakes region by the online soccer magazine Soccer Buzz and ranked No. 10 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The nation’s No. 2 team Notre Dame remained in the region’s top slot in both polls.
Soccer Buzz Great Lakes Region Top 10 1. Notre Dame (8-0-1) 2. Ohio State (7-1-1) 3. Purdue (7-2-1) 4. Illinois (6-2-1) 5. Michigan State (7-2-0) 6. Dayton (5-3-1) 7. Northwestern (6-3-0) 8. DePaul (8-2-0) 9. Oakland (5-3-1) 10. Wisconsin (5-5-1)
NSCAA Great Lakes Region Top 10 1. Notre Dame (8-0-1) 2. Ohio State (7-1-1) 3. Purdue (7-2-1) 4. Illinois (6-2-1) 5. Michigan State (7-2-0) 6. Wisconsin (5-5-1) 7. Dayton (5-3-1) 8. Northwestern (6-3-0) 9. Oakland (5-3-1) 10. DePaul (8-2-0)
DePaul’s record when… playing at home: 3-0-0 playing on the road: 5-2-0 playing on a neutral field: 0-0-0 playing during the day: 6-1-0 playing at night: 2-1-0 the match goes to overtime: 2-0-0 the match is decided by one goal: 4-2-0 the match is decided by two goals: 3-0-0 the match is decided by three goals: 0-0-0 the match is decided by four or more goals: 1-0-0 DePaul takes more shots: 6-2-0 opponent takes more shots: 2-0-0 DePaul takes a penalty kick: 0-0-0 opponent takes a penalty kick: 0-0-0
Conference Breakdown In their 10 non-conference matches, the Blue Demons face teams from six different conferences. Listed below is a look at DePaul’s record against each of those Division I conferences in 2003:
Big Ten: 0-1-0 Big 12: 1-1-0 Conference USA: 4-0-0 Horizon: 1-0-0 Mid-American: 1-0-0 Missouri Valley: 1-0-0 Mountain West: 0-0-0 Independents: 0-0-0 Overall Record: 8-2-0
In the Conference USA Rankings (as of Oct. 1) Team Rankings Shots – 2nd (178) Points – 4th (50) Goals – 4th (18) Assists – 5th (14) Goals Allowed – T1st (6) Goals Against Average – 1st (0.58) Saves – 7th (45) Shutouts – T2nd (5) Corners – 1st (51)
Shots 1. Julianne Sitch – 53
Points 1. Julianne Sitch – 20 T10. Lauren Spacht – 9
Goals 1. Julianne Sitch – 9
Assists T5. Lauren Spacht – 3
Game-Winning Goals 1. Julianne Sitch – 5
Goals Against Average 2. Lindsey Deason – 0.58
Save Percentage 2. Lindsey Deason - .878
Saves 4. Lindsey Deason – 43
Shutouts 1. Lindsey Deason – 5
In the NCAA Rankings (as of Sept. 28) Team Rankings Goals Against Average – 24th (0.585) Winning Percentage – 30th (.800)
Goals Per Game 26. Julianne Sitch – 0.9
Goals Against Average 28. Lindsey Deason – 0.585
Scouting the Weekend Opponents Air Force – The Falcons enter Friday’s match at 4-4-1… junior forward Jennifer Rowland leads the club with nine points on four goals and an assist… overall, Air Force has been outscored, 15-12, in their nine matches… since opening the season at 4-1, they have lost three of the last four with one tie… head coach Marty Buckley is in his 12th season at Air Force… the U.S. Air Force Academy is located in Colorado Springs, Colo. and is a member of the Mountain West Conference… the series: Friday is the first meeting between the two programs.
Colorado College – The Tigers begin the weekend at 3-5-1… they take on Montana on Friday afternoon before playing the Blue Demons on Sunday… sophomore forward Stephanie Kernan leads the Tigers with nine points on three goals and three assists… Colorado College has dropped four straight matches, including a pair to top 15-ranked teams Pepperdine and California last weekend… head coach Erik Oman is in his first season at Colorado College… Colorado College is located in Colorado Springs, Colo. and is a NCAA Division I Independent… the series: Sunday is the first meeting between the two programs.
Looking Forward DePaul plays the final two of six straight road matches on next weekend. The Blue Demons return to Conference USA action with games at Charlotte and East Carolina. The next home game is set for Oct. 17 against Cincinnati. It is the first of four consecutive home matches at Wish Field.
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