ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's soccer team will take a short hiatus from Empire 8 Conference play to challenge Fredonia on Tuesday, September 3. The non-conference bout is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m. at the Blue Devils' University Stadium in Fredonia, New York.
LAST TIME OUT
The Soaring Eagles suffered a 6-0 setback to E8 foe No. 16 Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday in Hoboken, New Jersey. The Ducks came out of the gates firing, as they opened the scoring just 2:34 into the contest. The constant pressure continued in the first half, as Stevens recorded 21 shots in the first 45 minutes alone, four of which found the back of the net. The Ducks tacked on two more goals in the second half to seal the league victory. Senior netminder
Rachel Grampp '18 posted eight saves in her 45 minutes in net. Sophomore goalie
Ali DeSalvatore '20 came in for the final 45 minutes and made five stops. The Purple and Gold offense generated three shots, all of which ended up on goal, but Stevens goalie Lindsey Mahnken saved all three.
TOUGH COMPETITION
In Elmira's current two-game skid, EC has has faced two of the tougher teams in the entire Empire 8. Stevens and Hartwick College currently rank first and second in the E8 standings, respectively. The nationally-ranked Ducks are a perfect 3-0-0 in league play this season and are 7-1-1 overall. The Hawks are 2-1-0 through their first three conference games of the year, with their lone setback coming at the hands of Stevens, 2-1, in Hoboken. Defense has been the staple for both of these programs this season, as both teams rank in the in the top three in the conference in goals allowed on the season.
SCOUTING FREDONIA
The Blue Devils enter Tuesday's bout with a 5-6-0 overall record and a 2-1 standing in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). In its most recent contest on Saturday, Fredonia topped the Bengals of Buffalo State by a 3-1 final score at University Stadium. In just 11 games this season, the Blue Devils have already exceeded their win total from last year by one. Tuesday's matchup will mark the end of a season-long five game homestand for Fredonia. The Blue Devils have played well at home, as they own a 4-3 record at University Stadium. Freshman keeper Marissa Quimby has been at the forefront of Fredonia's success, as she has recorded a SUNYAC-best 61 saves in her 10 appearances. In addition to her saves, Quimby owns a .782 save percentage and a 1.70 goals-against average. Offensively, junior forward Aleeya Clemons paces the team in points (15) and ranks fourth in the conference in goals (7).
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between Elmira and Fredonia has been a long one, as it has involved 20 previous meetings. Despite a 2-17-1 disadvantage in the past games, the Soaring Eagles enter Tuesday's bout with the most recent victory in the series. EC bested its non-conference foes by a 2-0 final score on October 4, 2016, at Campus Field.
Sara Kazerouni '18 scored both goals in last season's contest, the second multi-goal game of her career.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Soaring Eagles continue non-conference play on Wednesday, October 11, with a home bout against Marywood University. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. at Campus Field.
