Sept. 4, 2007

Contact: Brian McCann

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Match 3
Cleveland State (0-2) at IPFW (0-1)
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007
Time: 5:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Hefner Soccer Complex (1,500)
Series: IPFW leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: @CSU 2, IPFW 1 (10/22/06)

Match 4
Cleveland State at Temple (1-0-1)
Date: Friday, September 7, 2007
Time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Ambler Field (500)
Series: First Meeting

Match 5
Cleveland State at Delaware State (0-1)
Date: Sunday, September 9, 2007
Time: 11:00 a.m. EDT
Site: Shuttle Park, Dover, Del.
Series: CSU Leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: @CSU 6, DSU 0 (8/27/06)

SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State takes to the road for the first time during the 2007 season when the Vikings begin a four-match road swing with three contests this week in three different states. CSU begins play on Tuesday (Sept. 4) with a 5:00 p.m. match at IPFW. The Vikings then head to the east coast for weekend meetings with Temple and Delaware State. CSU will take on the Owls on Friday (Sept. 7) at 4:00 p.m. before heading to Delaware State for an 11:00 a.m. contest on Sunday (Sept. 9).

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings opened the 2007 campaign by playing a pair of matches as part of the CSU Fall Classic at Krenzler Field. Here is a synopsis of those contests:

Match 1: St. Bonaventure 3, CSU 0 (Aug. 31, Krenzler Field)
Three different St. Bonaventure players scored first half goals and CSU could manage just three second half shots as the Vikings were blanked in their season opener. Goalie Kelly Zinkiewich played well in her Viking debut, making 10 saves but defensive lapses hurt CSU.

Match 2: DePaul 2, CSU 1 (Sept. 2, Krenzler Field)
Sylvia Olsby scored her first career goal in the 41st minute to tie the match but DePaul countered with a marker just three minutes into the second half to claim a 2-1 win. The Blue Demons had a slight 16-15 edge in shots with Viking freshman Kelly Zinkiewich making nine saves.

PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The fourth season of Viking women's soccer begins on a promising note as the return of eight starters and 15 leterwinners from last year's team that won a school-record three matches gives head coach Derrek Falor the most depth and experience in program history. The strength of the squad is on offense where the tandem of senior Shayna Back and juniors Abbie Kakias and Jennifer Wieand should allow the Vikings to significantly increase their scoring. Returning midfielders Heather Clapacs and Allie Riczo are joined by newcomers Jessica McCloy and Marley Greiner to give CSU a solid group of playmakers. Depth on defense has been a problem in each of the last three seasons, but Falor has as many as eight skilled defenders to call upon this year. Led by returning starters Amber Rasmussen and Natalie Wilson, the unit has good experience to build on. Additionally, transfer Emily Arpidone (Virginia Commonwealth) and freshman Nicole Howard have helped to should fortify the backline. CSU has a new face in goal as freshman Kelly Zinkiewich (19 saves) takes over as the starter.

JUNIOR TRIO NAMED TO ALL-TOURNEY TEAM: The Vikings walked away from the inaugural CSU Fall Classic with juniors Abbie Kakias, Jennifer Wieand and Natalie Wilson each earning a spot on the all-tournament team.

WELCOME BACK JEN: The return of junior Jennifer Wieand after missing the entire 2006 season following knee surgery has given the Viking offense a big boost this year. Wieand entered last season as CSU's career scoring leader with three goals and three assists (nine points) and her absence from the lineup limited an offense that was still significantly more efficient from the season before. Her first weekend back was a good one as Wieand earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the CSU Fall Classic.

FRESHMEN ORIENTATION: One big difference in the Vikings this year is that with eight returning starters, there are few places in the starting lineup for the eight CSU freshmen. In 2005, freshmen started a total of 113 matches (or between 5-6 freshmen starting per match) and last year, the total dropped to just 51 freshmen starts. In the first two matches, freshmen started a total of eight times including goalkeeper Kelly Zinkiewich and defenders Emily Arpidone and Nicole Howard, each of whom started both contests.

. . . AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN: The Viking roster this season includes seven players who were part of the initial recruiting class that served as the backbone of the program's first team in 2004. The list includes seniors Shayna Back, Samantha Casey, Heather Clapacs and Amber Rasmussen and juniors Abbie Kakias, Maggie Pugliese and Jennifer Wieand.

ZINKIEWICH IMPRESSIVE IN DEBUT: It didn't take long for freshman goalkeeper Kelly Zinkiewich to show her ability as she made 19 saves in the two matches last week. She made 10 saves in her debut against St. Bonaventure on Friday and came back to add 10 stops vs. DePaul. She leads the Horizon League in both saves (19) and saves per game (9.5).

. . . AT THE END OF THE LIST: Four players have seen time in goal during the first four years of women's soccer at CSU and interestingly enough, three of those players come at the end of the alphabet. The Viking goalies have been Allie Zajaros (2004-05), Erin Withrow (2005-06) and now freshman Kelly Zinkiewich. The only non-goalie at the end of the alphabet is Melissa Wood, who played midfield in 2004-05.

A LONG WAY TO SCORE: The lone Viking goal of the weekend came off the foot of freshman Sylvia Olsby, who is the first soccer player in the history of the program from the state of Washington. Cleveland State is a long way from home for Olsby, approximately 2,450 miles from her native Seattle.

NEXT UP: The Vikings close their current five-match road swing when they play at Akron on Friday, Sept. 14 before returning home to start a stretch that will have them play four of five at home, starting with a Sept. 16 meeting with Canisius.