The Lady Toppers are looking for their first victory of the 2010 season Friday evening. With a tough start, WKU has matching 2010 records with Evansville who is also 0-2-1 in the beginning of the season. Historically, the Lady Toppers have defeated Evansville 3-1, with the last victory in 2009 on the road, 1-0.
Match #4:
WKU (0-2-1) vs. Evansville (0-2-1)
Friday, September 3 // 6:00 p.m.
WKU Soccer Complex (1,000) // Bowling Green, KY
•Purple Aces Analysis: Evansville returns 12 letterwinners and seven starters to their 2010 squad while welcoming seven newcomers. In 2009 the Purple Aces finished with a record of 5-13-0 overall and 2-4-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Purple Aces opened up their 2010 season with a record of 0-2-1 before their match-up with the Lady Toppers. Evansville opened the season at home on Aug. 22, with a 0-3 loss to Indiana before hitting the road and dropping a close battle 0-1 in overtime on a penalty kick game-winning goal by Eastern Illinois. The Purple Aces tallied their first and only goal of the season Sunday in a 1-1 tie against Valparaiso.
•WKU-Evansville Rewind: The Lady Toppers have a winning record of 3-1 all-time against Evansville. The first time the two teams met was in 2004 when the Lady Toppers took victory number one over Evansville, 2-1. The one loss WKU experienced against the Purple Aces was in 2005, when WKU dropped the contest at home, 0-4. Last season WKU defeated the Purple Aces 1-0, on the road.
•Weekend Review: Last weekend, the Lady Toppers faced two strong competitors, first against Ole Miss on the road and the second at home against Minnesota. WKU fought a tough battle against Ole Miss, taking them into double overtime before ending the match in a 0-0 tie. The match marked the second time in WKU history the two teams met with both matches resulting in overtime. In 2008, the Lady Toppers came out on top in a 2-1 overtime victory against Ole Miss. The Lady Toppers finished Friday's match with 10 shots and three on goal. Leading WKU against Ole Miss was Christen Sims with three shots and one on goal in the match. WKU was outshot by Ole Miss as they posted 14 shots with eight on goal.
In Sunday's home-opener WKU battled Minnesota for the first time in school history, dropping the contest by one. The Gophers opened the match with a goal in the first three minutes off a penalty kick before adding one more goal in the 16th-minute of action. WKU took over in the second period, controlling the field and outshooting the Gophers 5-3. WKU tallied their first goal of the 2010 season in the 81st minute of the match as a corner kick by Mallory Outerbridge came into the box and found its way in the goal off a defender. WKU finished the match with seven shots and two on goal but came up short.
•Tough Start, Tough Competition : WKU opened the season with a 0-2-1 record, marking the first time the Lady Toppers have opened a season with a loss since 2006. Tough competition in the first three matches with big-name opponents gave WKU's squad of 21 sophomore and freshman a great opportunity to build on. In the first three matches of the season WKU started seven freshman and sophomores while seven more appeared throughout the games, totaling 14 sophomore and freshman on the field for the Lady Toppers this season.
•Steady Stout: Junior goalkeeper Libby Stout has stayed strong in the opening three matches with a lot of action on her end. Stout has faced a total of 51 shots, making 16 saves while playing a complete 290 minutes in the first three matches. Stout tallied a shutout in the 110-minute match against Mississippi Aug. 27. She holds WKU's all-time record for most career shutouts with 22. Stout had a spectacular season for WKU in her second go around in 2009. She led the SBC in save percentage (.868) and goals against average (0.60). She posted six-straight scoreless outings from October 2-October 18.
•Sun Belt Conference Preseason Respect: The All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team, released August 19 by the league, had two Lady Toppers voted to the team. Mallory Outerbridge and Libby Stout were chosen for the All-SBC Conference team for the second consecutive season. The complete All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team is listed on page 4.
•Within Striking Distance: The coaches around the league seem to think the Lady Toppers are capable of challenging for the Sun Belt Conference championship. The Lady Toppers found themselves picked to finish third in the league for the second consecutive season, in the preseason coaches poll. Denver and FIU were picked ahead of the Lady Toppers. Nine points separated the Lady Toppers and the Panthers, while WKU trailed Denver by 22 points. The complete preseason coaches poll is listed on page 4.
•Exhibition Rotation: The Lady Toppers took advantage of unlimited substitutions in two exhibition matches Aug. 13 and 15th. WKU hosted three-time defending Conference USA champions Memphis, Friday Aug. 13 at the WKU Soccer Complex ending in a 1-1 draw. WKU found the net first with a penalty kick goal from Kelsey Meyer in the 27th minute. Memphis added their lone goal in the 49th minute of the match. WKU held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks against Memphis. Sunday afternoon the Lady Toppers defeated the Butler Bulldogs 1-0, in Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 15, with a first-half goal by Lindsey Goad. WKU outshot Butler, 15-5.
•A Mix Of New And Old: The 2010 Lady Topper squad has a blend of new and returning talent on the roster. Five of the 11 starters are back from the 2009 team, and the team welcomes 10 freshmen and one transfer. Graduate Assistant coach and former Lady Topper Leslie King transitions from the playing field to the coaching staff in 2010. King will assist with goalkeeping instruction and other team practice duties, along with administrative tasks.
•A "Championship Effort": The 2009 Lady Toppers set a school record for conference wins in a season with nine, eclipsing the previous record of eight (2007).
•Going Streaking: The Lady Toppers tallied a six-match winning streak during the 2009 season- and goalkeeper Libby Stout worked shutouts during five of the six matches in the winning streak. The six match winning streak is tied for the third longest in team history (Aug. 29 - Oct. 15, 2006).
•Well-Deserved Recognition: Six Lady Toppers found themselves on All-Sun Belt Conference teams for their efforts in 2009. Mallory Outerbridge, Kellie Walker, Rachel Friedman, and Libby Stout earned first-team honors, while Kaylyn Pratt and Morgan Thomas were awarded second-team honors. Lady Topper Kellie Walker earned the honor of being named Player of the Year in 2009.
•Hitting The Books: Rachel Friedman earned academic recognition as a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in 2009 for her second consecutive season. Friedman, Morgan Thomas and Kellie Walker were also named Academic All-District IV. Friedman is the second Lady Topper to be recognized academically by CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine (Meredith Goodson, 2007).
•Top Of The Charts: The WKU Lady Toppers were all over the SBC leaderboards in 2009. The team ranked first in shutouts tied with Denver with 11 shutouts. Second in goals allowed with 16, one more than North Texas. On the offensive end, WKU tied for third in goals with 38 and placed fourth in points with 106.
•Live Stats Viewing: Follows Friday's match online with live stats.
For those who can't make it to the WKU Soccer Complex the match can be followed via livestats at:
www.wkusports.com
