The Lady Toppers now 1-2-1 will take on the Ball State Cardinals for the first time in Lady Topper soccer history. WKU grabbed their first victory last weekend at the WKU Soccer Complex and hopes to continue the winning-ways into this weekend. The Lady Toppers will take on Eastern Kentucky Sunday afternoon for the fifth time in WKU history with the Lady Toppers holding a 3-0-1 advantage.
Match #5:
WKU (1-2-1) vs. Ball State (4-2)
Friday, September 10 // 6:00 p.m.
WKU Soccer Complex (1,000) // Bowling Green, KY
Match #6:
WKU (1-2-1) @ Eastern Kentucky (1-4-1)
Sunday, September 12 // 12:00 p.m.
EKU Soccer Field (600) // Richmond, KY
•BALL STATE BASICS: Ball State returns 12 letterwinners and nine starters to their 2010 squad while welcoming 17 newcomers. In 2009 the Cardinals finished with a record of 4-13-1 overall and 2-8-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals have opened up their 2010 season with a record of 4-2 before their match-up with the Lady Toppers. Ball State went 1-1 in last weekend's matches. The Cardinals dropped their second match of the season Friday against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 0-2. Ball State went on to defeat Southeast Missouri in two overtime periods, 3-2. Ball State's sophomore defender Brigit Reder was named MAC defensive player of the week Tuesday.
•WKU-BALL STATE REWIND: Friday's match-up will be the first time the two teams have met in competition.
•COLONELS COUNTDOWN: Eastern Kentucky returns 11 players and five starters to their 2010 squad while welcoming 13 newcomers. In 2009 the Colonels finished with a record of 5-11-3 overall and 2-3-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Eastern Kentucky has opened up their 2010 season with a record of 1-4-1 before hosting the Lady Toppers on Sunday. The Colonels went 0-1-1 in last weekend's matches. Last Friday, Eastern Kentucky dropped a home match to Wright State University, 0-3 before hitting the road and ending Sunday's match against Valparaiso in a 0-0 tie. Colonel freshman goalkeeper Lyndsay Vance was named this week's Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Week.
•WKU-EASTERN KENTUCKY REWIND: The Lady Toppers have a winning record of 3-0-1 all-time against Eastern Kentucky. The first time the two teams met was in 2006 when the Lady Toppers took victory number one over the Colonels, 3-1. In 2008, WKU played on the road against the Colonels for the first time and ended the match in a 1-1 stalemate. Last season, The Lady Toppers shutout Eastern Kentucky for the first time at the WKU Soccer Complex, 1-0. Sunday's match will be the fifth match between the two teams and the second at Eastern Kentucky.
•WEEKEND REVIEW: Last weekend, the Lady Toppers took their first victory in 2010 in a 4-0 showdown against Evansville at the WKU Soccer Complex. The Lady Toppers controlled the match as they scored the first goal in the 31st minute by freshman Chrissy Tchoula. WKU posted 13 shots in the first period. In the 61st minute, junior Mallory Outerbridge posted her first goal of the season giving the Lady Toppers a 2-0 lead. A short 18 minutes later Outerbridge scored her second goal on a penalty kick. To complete the match sophomore Sydney Sisler put WKU goal number four in the back of the net in the 87th minute of action. The Lady Toppers outshot Evansville 20-4 as WKU posted 11 shots on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Katlyn Barnes earned her first victory as she tallied three saves, playing a total of 73:39 in the match.
•OUTERBRIDGE HONORED: Junior forward Mallory Outerbridge was honored this week being named Sun Belt Conference Soccer Player of the Week. Outerbridge posted two goals in Friday's 4-0 victory over Evansville. The two goals marked a career-high goals in a single match for Outerbridge. To top it off, Outerbridge was a part of every goal in the 4-0 victory, as she earned an assist on the other two Lady Topper goals. The two goals and two assists earned her six points in the match, a career-high points in a single match for Outerbridge. The six points also puts her tied for third on WKU's all-time single game points list. Outerbridge tallied six shots with four on goal in the match. This is Outerbridge's first career player of the week award. She is the first Lady Topper to be named Sun Belt Conference Soccer Player of the Week since Kellie Walker earned the honor last season for the week of October 13, 2009.
•MOVING ON: WKU opened the season with a 1-2-1 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. Improving they did, the Lady Toppers 4-0 victory over Evansville showed the improvements and what the tough competition in the opening three matches gave the Lady Toppers. In the first four matches of the season WKU has started seven freshman and sophomores while 10 more have appeared throughout the games, totaling 17 sophomore and freshman on the field for the Lady Toppers this season.
•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 OLD AND NEW: 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).
•LIVE STATS VIEWING: Follow this weekends matches online with live stats. For those who can't make it to the WKU Soccer Complex Friday evening, the match can be followed via livestats at:
www.wkusports.com
Sunday's match can be viewed at: http://www.sidearmstats.com/eku/wsoc/index.htm
