DAYTON — The Wright State women's soccer program travels to Cleveland State for its regular season road finale on Saturday, October 21. The conference matchup will start at 7 p.m. and broadcast live on ESPN+.
MATCH INFORMATION
Saturday, October 21 - 7 p.m. -
Watch -
Live Stats
LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders are coming off a 1-1 draw at Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday. PFW scored the match's opening goal in the eighth minute, but
Olivia Mace responded with an equalizer off assists by
Caitlin Burger and
Kaitlyn Eyink at the 22-minute mark. Wright State was limited to four shots in a scoreless second half of work, while the Raider back line held the 'Dons to no shots on frame in the closing 45 minutes.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State is 3-10-3 overall and 0-6-3 against Horizon League opponents with one match remaining in its regular season. The Vikings earned draws against IUPUI, Green Bay, and Youngstown State but are amid a three-match losing skid.
Erica Leinweber has paced the CSU attack with a team-leading 10 points on five goals. Kathryn Ramicone is tied for third in the conference with 20 shots on goal. Goalkeeper Liv Fain has tallied 52 saves compared to 24 goals allowed in 15 starts.
HISTORY VS. CSU
Wright State possesses a 13-6-2 advantage in the all-time series. The Raiders settled for a 1-1 draw against CSU a year ago, highlighted by
Marcella Sizer's equalizer in the 77th minute.
Lauren Borchert was credited with an assist in WSU's 2-1 victory over the Vikings in 2021.
CONFERENCE STANDINGS
Wright State sits second in the Horizon League standings with just two matches remaining in the regular season. Robert Morris, Oakland, and IUPUI are in a three-way tie for third place with 13 points, while Northern Kentucky and Detroit Mercy are knotted up in sixth with 12 points. Purdue Fort Wayne (10) and Youngstown State (8) are also in the mix for postseason play. The top-six teams will earn a spot in the Horizon League Championship, which begins with the third and fourth seeds hosting quarterfinal matchups on October 29. The No. 1 seed will host the HL semifinals and championship from November 2-4.
Click here to view the full standings.
AN ACE FOR MACE
On Monday,
Olivia Mace earned Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in her collegiate career. The junior midfielder totaled three points on one goal and one assist over two starts last week, helping the Raiders to a 1-0-1 record against Horizon League opponents. She tallied an assist in Wright State's 1-0 victory over Detroit Mercy (10/12) and followed with an equalizer for her first collegiate goal on Sunday at Purdue Fort Wayne (10/15). On the season, Mace leads WSU with four assists while ranking second on the team with six points.
TWO-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kiera Sarka has twice claimed Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honors this season. She earned the recognition after compiling a four-save shutout at Green Bay (9/14) and a seven-save shutout against Oakland (9/30). The senior has tallied five shutouts through 15 appearances (14 starts) this season and possesses top-40 national marks in total saves (33rd, 80) and saves per game (40th, 5.33). She recorded a career-high 14 saves versus Dayton (9/3), tied for 14th-most by a Division I goalkeeper in 2023 and the highest mark by a Raider since Maddie Jewell's 14 saves against Milwaukee (11/2/17) during the 2017 campaign.
VETERAN LEADER
Fifth-year senior
Kaylin Helinski leads the Raiders with seven points on three goals and one assist. She has scored all seven points in HL play, tallying goals against Youngstown State (9/21), Robert Morris (9/24), and Detroit Mercy (10/12) while adding an assist at Green Bay (9/14).
SHE'S CLUTCH
Lauren Borchert is tied for third in the Horizon League with two game-winning goals. The Richfield, Ohio native scored her first goal of the 2023 campaign versus Southern Indiana (8/24) and added a game-winner at Green Bay (9/14).
SHE'S JUST A FRESHMAN…
Freshman midfielder
Caitlin Burger has tallied five points on a goal and three assists through 15 starts this season. The Cincinnati, Ohio native scored her first collegiate goal at Robert Morris (9/24) and has added assists against Green Bay (9/14), Youngstown State (9/21), and Purdue Fort Wayne (10/15).
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Sophia Kuerze enjoyed a breakout performance in Wright State's 2-1 victory over Akron (9/10), as she was responsible for both of the Raiders' goals. The freshman opened the scoring with her first collegiate goal at the 25-minute mark and followed with a game-winning assist in the 73rd minute. Her three points were the most by a Raider this season.
REPRESENTING KANKAKEE
Macey Moore and
Elise Kukuck — both natives of Kankakee, Illinois and 2023 alums of Herscher High School — scored their first collegiate goals in the opening half of Wright State's 3-2 win over Youngstown State (9/21).
ALL-CONFERENCE TALENT
Wright State returns four All-Horizon League selections from last season.
Marcella Sizer became the second individual in program history to earn League Offensive Player of the Year after leading the team in points (15) and goals (6).
Lauren Borchert topped the conference in shots on goal per game (1.67) and shots on goal (30) en route to All-League Second Team honors.
Elise Canter (4 goals) and
Kaylee Pham (18 starts, 1,601 minutes) garnered All-Freshman Team accolades.
MEET THE COACHES
The Raiders are led by third-year head coach
Travis Sobers, a longtime assistant coach at WSU before taking reigns on the sidelines two summers ago. The former Wright State men's soccer standout player guided the Raiders to an 8-7-3 overall record and a 5-2-3 mark in conference play last year, good for the program's first winning seasons in both categories since 2019. First-year assistant coach
Krystle Seidel joined the staff in May 2023 after a four-year head coaching stint at Macalester College and nine seasons at the University of Minnesota.
PRESEASON POLL
The Raiders were picked seventh in the annual Horizon League preseason poll, which the league's 11 head coaches voted on. Defending conference champion Milwaukee topped the poll, while Oakland was close behind in second.
2023 SQUAD
WSU welcomes ten newcomers — all freshmen — to this season's squad. The Raiders' 29-player roster includes nine returning sophomores, four juniors, four seniors, and two fifth-year student-athletes.
OHIO STRONG
Wright State's 2023 roster features 20 players from Ohio. Four Raiders —
Addy Canter,
Elise Canter,
Ashley Vaughn, and
Heidi Orloff — came to WSU from nearby Beavercreek High School. Another three individuals —
Annika Samborski,
Brandi Greenlee, and
Olivia Mace — prepped at Centerville High School.
CAREER LEADERS (at Wright State only)
Goals
Kaylin Helinski - 9
Lauren Borchert - 9
Marcella Sizer - 8
Assists
Olivia Mace - 10
Lauren Borchert - 4
Marcella Sizer - 3
Points
Lauren Borchert - 22
Kaylin Helinski - 20
Marcella Sizer - 19
Saves
Kiera Sarka - 86
Erin Baker - 41
Games
Kaylin Helinski - 71
Lauren Borchert - 60
Olivia Mace - 51
Starts
Kaylin Helinski - 55
Lauren Borchert - 54
Olivia Mace - 47
UP NEXT
The Raiders will conclude their regular season at home against Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, October 25. The conference contest will start at 7 p.m. and broadcast live on ESPN+.
