Women’s Soccer travels to Green Bay for Horizon League opener

Thursday, September 14

Green Bay, WI / Aldo Santaga Stadium

5 PM ET

Wright State University

Green Bay

Photo by: Paige Benson

Women’s Soccer travels to Green Bay for Horizon League opener

9/13/2023 9:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

DAYTON — The Wright State women's soccer program opens Horizon League play at Green Bay on Thursday, September 14, at Aldo Santaga Stadium. The matchup will begin at 5 p.m. ET and air on ESPN+. Live stats will also be available.

MATCH INFORMATION
Thursday, September 14 - 5 p.m. ET - Watch - Live Stats

LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders are coming off a 2-1 victory over Akron at home. As a team, Wright State bested the Zips in total shots (12-9), shots on goal (7-5), and corner kicks (3-1). Sophia Kuerze paced the attack with a goal and an assist — both the first of her collegiate career — in the winning effort. Marcella Sizer finished with a team-leading three shots on goal, highlighted by a game-winning score at the 73-minute mark of the second half. Goalkeeper Kiera Sarka tallied four saves in net compared to one goal allowed.

SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Green Bay is 0-4-2 on the season, which includes a 0-2 record in home contests. The Phoenix have been outscored 15-4 through six matches, with four individuals finding the back of the net. Elle Hill possesses a team-high three points on a goal and an assist. Sierra Morgano has recorded a program-best two assists. Mallorie Benhart and Payton Lang have both made three starts in goal.

HISTORY VS. GB
Wright State leads the all-time series against Green Bay, 20-6-5. WSU dominated last year's matchup with a 4-1 victory over GB, highlighted by Lauren Borchert, Josie Krupp, Lena Jenssen, and Ashley Vaughn scoring goals. The teams battled to a 0-0 double-overtime draw in 2021, as Erin Baker paced the standout defensive effort with six saves in 110 minutes, including one in the first overtime.

DOMINANCE IN GOAL
Kiera Sarka ranks 27th nationally and atop the Horizon League with 38 saves through seven matches. She compiled a career-high 14 saves versus Dayton (9/3), good for ninth-most by a Division I goalkeeper this season and the highest mark by a Raider since Maddie Jewell's 14 saves against Milwaukee (11/2/17) during the 2017 campaign. Two of Sarka's 14 saves transpired on penalty kick attempts. The Twinsburg, Ohio native posted her first collegiate shutout while also tallying nine saves in WSU's 0-0 draw at Central Michigan (8/27).

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.

GOAL LEADER
Marcella Sizer has recorded a team-leading two goals for Wright State. The fifth-year senior found the back of the net in WSU's home-opening win versus Southern Indiana (8/24), followed by a game-winning header against Akron (9/10). The Waynesville, Ohio native has tallied eight goals since joining the program last season, good for the highest career mark amongst active Raiders.

PACING THE ATTACK
Lauren Borchert sits ninth in the Horizon League with 15 shots, averaging 2.14 per contest. The Richfield, Ohio native scored her first goal of the 2023 campaign versus Southern Indiana (8/24). A season ago, she led the conference in shots on goal per game (1.67) and shots on goal (30) while also ranking second in shot accuracy (.588) and third in shots per game (2.83).

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

Lauren Borchert & Marcella Sizer - 8
Kaylin Helinski - 6
Elise Canter - 4

Assists

Olivia Mace - 8
Marcella Sizer & Lauren Borchert - 3
Amber Branum - 2

Points

Lauren Borchert - 19
Marcella Sizer - 17
Kaylin Helinski - 13

Saves

Kiera Sarka - 44
Erin Baker - 38

Games

Kaylin Helinski - 64
Lauren Borchert - 52
Heidi Orloff - 45

Starts

Kaylin Helinski - 48
Lauren Borchert - 46
Olivia Mace - 39

UP NEXT
After Green Bay, the Raiders will return home for a matchup against Youngstown State on Sunday, September 21.