Women’s Soccer hosts Milwaukee for HL opener

Thursday, September 15

Dayton, OH

5 PM

Wright State University

Milwaukee

Photo by: Joseph Craven

9/14/2022 10:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

DAYTON — The Wright State women's soccer program will open its Horizon League schedule at home against defending conference champion Milwaukee on Thursday, September 15. The conference match will commence at 5 p.m. and air on ESPN+. Live stats will also be available.

Fans can pick up their free 2022 Wright State women's soccer schedule poster at the entrance of Alumni Field. Admission will be free for all spectators.

MATCH INFORMATION
Thursday, September 15 - 5 p.m. - Watch - Live Stats

LAST TIME OUT
Last Thursday, Wright State fell 4-1 to Kentucky in its final non-conference tilt of the 2022 season. The Raiders had just six total shots against UK, who outshot WSU 20-6 overall and scored goals two minutes apart in the 14th and 16th minutes to take control of the night. Wright State's lone score came in the 63rd minute, as an offensive push resulted in a corner kick by Olivia Mace that was placed right on the head of Kaylin Helinski, who deposited it into the back of the net.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Milwaukee went 3-2-1 in non-conference play, highlighted by road victories over Marquette (1-0) and Illinois State (3-2). As a team, MKE ranks second in the conference in shots per game (16.83), corner kicks per game (7.00), and shutout percentage (.500). Kayla Rollins has starred for the Panthers, as she leads the HL in goals (4), goals per game (.667), points (8), and points per game (1.33). Goalkeeper Parker Donahugh ranks 38th nationally with a league-best three shutouts.

A season ago, the Panthers claimed their sixth regular-season championship in the past seven years and earned their fourth-straight automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Horizon League Tournament Championship. MKE opened the NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 victory over Xavier but proceeded to lose to No. 1 seed Virginia (2-0) in the second round.

HISTORY VS. MILWAUKEE
The Raiders trail 9-29-6 in the all-time series against Milwaukee. Wright State fell to the Panthers 2-1 in its Horizon League opener in 2021, with Destiny Johnson being the lone Raider to find the back of the net. Jessika Seward kept WSU within striking range by totaling a season-high eight saves in goal. Wright State last defeated MKE in 2015, capturing a 4-3 penalty-kick victory over No. 1 seed Panthers in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals.

PRECISION AT ITS FINEST
As a team, the Raiders rank 29th in the country and second in the Horizon League in shot accuracy (.559). Lauren Borchert has compiled a team-leading 11 shots on frame, while Marcella Sizer is 4-for-5 (.800) on the year in shot-on-goal attempts.

PACING THE ATTACK
Lauren Borchert sits second in the HL in shots on goal (11) and third in total shots (19). The junior midfielder has tallied multiple shots in all seven matches, including a season-high four shots in WSU's 1-0 win at Miami (OH). She netted her first goal of the season in Wright State's 3-0 victory over Central Michigan.

BREAKOUT YEAR
Kaylin Helinski has enjoyed a breakout senior season for the Raiders, as she leads the team in goals (2) and points (5). The Bellville, Ohio native entered the year with three career goals and no assists over 42 games (26 starts).

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jessika Seward earned Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her collegiate career on August 29 after leading WSU to back-to-back shutouts. In Wright State's 1-0 victory at Miami (OH), she notched five saves, including four in the second half to preserve the shutout. The Navarre, Fla. native added three saves, all in the first half, in the Raiders' 3-0 win against Central Michigan at home.

SHOWING OFF DEPTH
Eighteen Raiders have appeared in all seven games, including six newcomers. Kaylee Pham, a freshman out of nearby Springboro, has logged a team-best 621 minutes over seven starts. Five individuals in Pham, Kaylin Helinski, Olga Massombo, Jessika Seward, and Lauren Borchert, have started every game.

CAREER LEADERS (at Wright State only)
Goals
Josie Krupp - 10
Michelle Rings - 6
Olga Massombo & Kaylin Helinski - 5

Assists
Josie Krupp & Michelle Rings - 6
Olga Massombo - 5
Olivia Mace, Lauren Borchert, Maddie Mitchell, & Makaylee Zuercher - 2

Points
Josie Krupp - 26
Michelle Rings - 18
Olga Massombo - 15
Saves

Jessika Seward - 126
Erin Baker - 27
Kiera Sarka - 6

Games
Josie Krupp - 69
Michelle Rings - 51
Kaylin Helinski - 49

Starts
Michelle Rings - 37
Kaylin Helinski - 33
Olga Massombo - 32

PRESEASON PREP
Exhibition contests against Michigan State, Western Michigan, and Morehead State served as tune-ups for the 2022 season. Wright State concluded preseason play with a 3-0 victory over Morehead State at Alumni Field. Josie Krupp, Elise Canter, and Annika Samborski found the back of the net in the victory, while Jessika Seward and Hanna Hargrave combined for the shutout in goal.

RETURNING TALENT
Wright State returns 10 players who logged nine or more starts and 700-plus minutes, including a pair of All-Horizon League performers in Olga Massombo and Olivia Mace. The trio of Madison Keller, Taylor Lauck, and Josie Krupp are in the midst of their fifth year with the Raiders.

Massombo, Krupp, Maddie Mitchell, and Michelle Rings found the back of the net multiple times a season ago, while Lauren Borchert tied for second on the team with two assists. Mace was the lone Raiders to appear and start in all 18 matches, totaling a team-leading 1,578 minutes. Jessika Seward is in her third season as WSU's goalkeeper, where she has tallied 124 saves and three shutouts in 27 career starts.

MEET THE COACHES
The Raiders are led by second-year head coach Travis Sobers, a longtime assistant coach at WSU, before taking reigns on the sidelines last summer. The former Wright State men's soccer standout player helped the Raiders to victories over Marshall, Akron, IUPUI, Cleveland State, and UIC in 2021. Assistant coach Abbey Frail joined the Raiders in January 2022 after two seasons on the staff at her alma mater Wingate University. Last fall, as interim head coach, she guided the Bulldogs to an 11-6 overall record.

WELCOME TO THE FAM
WSU welcomes 10 first-year students and two transfers to this season's squad. Marcella Sizer joined the Raiders after three seasons at fellow Horizon League school Youngstown State, where she totaled 23 points on 10 goals — two game-winners — and three assists over three seasons.

OHIO STRONG
Wright State's 2022 roster features 20 players from Ohio. Three Raiders in Elise Canter, Ashley Vaughn, and Heidi Orloff came to WSU from nearby Beavercreek High School. Another three individuals in Annika Samborski, Brandi Greenlee, and Olivia Mace prepped at Centerville High School.

PRESEASON POLL
The Raiders were picked sixth in the annual Horizon League preseason poll, which the league's 11 head coaches voted on. Oakland topped the conference poll while defending HL tournament champion Milwaukee was close behind in the second.

NEXT UP
After Milwaukee, the Raiders will travel for a Sunday meeting against Youngstown State. The conference match will kick off at 1 p.m. and stream on ESPN+.