Women’s Soccer continues HL play at Youngstown State

Sunday, September 18

Youngstown, OH

1 PM

Wright State University

Youngstown State

Women’s Soccer continues HL play at Youngstown State

9/17/2022 10:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

DAYTON — The Wright State women's soccer program continues its opening week of Horizon League action on the road at Youngstown State on Sunday, September 18. The conference match will start at 1 p.m. and air on ESPN+.

MATCH INFORMATION
Sunday, September 18 - 1 p.m. - Watch - Live Stats

LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders are coming off a thrilling 3-2 victory over defending conference champion Milwaukee in their Horizon League opener on Thursday evening at Alumni Field. WSU handed the Panthers their first conference opener loss since 2012, which also occurred against the Raiders in double-overtime fashion. To add, Wright State earned its first conference-opening victory since 2019 in the winning effort.

While MKE outshot Wright State 20-9, the Raiders made the most out of its opportunities with seven shots on frame, highlighted by goals from Ashley Vaughn, Lauren Borchert, and Alana Nesbit. Olivia Mace and Olga Massombo contributed to the attack with an assist apiece, while goalkeeper Jessika Seward totaled a season-high seven saves over 90 minutes. Tied at 2-all late in the second half, Nesbit connected on the game-winning goal off a pass from Olga Massombo in the 79th minute.

SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State opened the season with four consecutive losses but has followed with a 2-0-2 record. Penguins began their conference slate last Thursday with a 1-1 tie against preseason favorite Oakland on the road.

Goalkeeper Brooklynn Kirkpatrick has shined for YSU, as she leads the conference in total saves (43), shutouts (3), and minutes played (720:00). The junior also ranks second in the HL with 5.38 saves per match. Regan LaVigna leads the Penguin attack with three points on one goal and one assist.

HISTORY VS. YSU
WSU holds a substantial advantage in the all-time series, leading 21-1-3. The Raiders have not lost to the Penguins since 2012, which featured a six-game win streak from 2015 to 2021. A season ago, the Raiders used a late second-half goal by Josie Krupp to tie the matchup against YSU at 1-1, which would prove to be a final score after two overtimes. Krupp also netted the game-winning goal in WSU's 2-1 victory against the Penguins in the spring of 2021. Kaylin Helinski helped the Raiders to a 2-1 win versus YSU during the 2019 campaign by netting the second goal of her collegiate career.

PRECISION AT THE FINEST
As a team, the Raiders rank 14th in the country and first in the Horizon League in shot accuracy (.584). Lauren Borchert has compiled a team-leading 12 shots on frame, while Marcella Sizer and Michelle Rings are both 4-for-5 (.800) in shot-on-goal attempts.

PACING THE ATTACK
Lauren Borchert sits second in the HL in shots on goal (12) and fourth in total shots (20). The junior midfielder has tallied multiple shots in seven matches, including a season-high four shots in WSU's 1-0 win at Miami (OH). She has netted unassisted goals in home wins against Central Michigan and Milwaukee. In the national ranks, Borchert sits 68th overall in shot accuracy (.600).

MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Olivia Mace has tallied a team-leading three assists over eight matches, good for second in the conference. The Centerville, Ohio native entered the 2022 season with lofty expectations after earning Horizon League All-Freshman Team honors last year. Mace has logged a program-leading 2,100 minutes over 26 games (22 starts) dating back to the 2021 campaign.

BREAKOUT YEAR
Kaylin Helinski has enjoyed a breakout senior season for the Raiders, as she leads the team in points (5) and goals (T-1st, 2). 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
Seventeen Raiders have appeared in all eight games, including six newcomers. Kaylee Pham, a freshman out of nearby Springboro, has logged a team-best 711 minutes over eight 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, & Lauren Borchert - 5

Assists
Josie Krupp, Michelle Rings, & Olga Massombo - 6
Olivia Mace - 3
Lauren Borchert, Maddie Mitchell, & Makaylee Zuercher - 2

Points
Josie Krupp - 26
Michelle Rings - 18
Olga Massombo - 16

Saves
Jessika Seward - 133
Erin Baker - 27
Kiera Sarka - 6

Games
Josie Krupp - 70
Michelle Rings - 52
Kaylin Helinski - 50

Starts
Michelle Rings - 37
Kaylin Helinski - 34
Olga Massombo - 33

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 133 saves and three shutouts in 29 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 YSU, the Raiders will prep for a home meeting against Green Bay on Thursday, September 22. The conference match will kick off at 7 p.m. and stream on ESPN+.