DAYTON — The Wright State women's soccer program hosts Akron for its non-conference finale on Sunday, September 10, at Alumni Field. The matchup will begin at 1 p.m. and air on ESPN+. Live stats will also be available.
MATCH INFORMATION
Sunday, September 10 - 1 p.m. -
Watch -
Live Stats
LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders are coming off a 3-0 loss against Dayton last Sunday at Alumni Field. Wright State ended the night with deficits in total shots (30-8), shots on goal (17-4), and corner kicks (4-0).
Lauren Borchert recorded team-leading marks in overall shots (3) and shots on goal (2), while
Marina Ruthsatz and
Elise Canter added a shot on frame.
Kiera Sarka recorded a career-high 14 saves in net, good for the sixth-most by a Division I goalkeeper this season and the highest mark by a Raider since 2017.
SCOUTING THE ZIPS
Akron is 1-4 on the season with a 3-1 win at Cleveland State and losses to Youngstown State, Robert Morris, Dayton, and Boston College. Morgan Pentz has tallied a team-leading two goals on seven shots, while goalkeeper Sara Bower ranks third in the Mid-American Conference with 4.67 saves per match.
The Zips recorded an overall record of 3-9-4 during the 2022 season, including a 2-7-2 mark against MAC opponents. The Zips went an improved 1-0-1 versus Horizon League competition, defeating Youngstown State 1-0 and playing to a 1-1 draw at Oakland.
HISTORY VS. AKRON
The Raiders took down Akron 3-0 in a road matchup during the 2021 season, tying the all-time series at 1-all. Current Raider
Kaylin Helinski logged 90 minutes in the shutout victory.
Erin Baker,
Lauren Borchert,
Olivia Mace, and
Heidi Orloff also saw playing time in the win.
DOMINANCE IN GOAL
Kiera Sarka ranks 14th nationally and atop the Horizon League with 34 saves through six matches. She compiled a career-high 14 saves last Sunday versus Dayton (9/3), good for eighth-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). Sarka has not allowed a goal in four of her last five halves of action.
LEADING DISTRIBUTOR
Olivia Mace notched a career-high two assists in Wright State's 2-1 home-opening victory over Southern Indiana (8/24). She has recorded eight assists dating back to last season, which is the most among active Raiders.
PACING THE ATTACK
Lauren Borchert sits ninth in the Horizon League with 13 shots, averaging 2.17 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 - 8
Marcella Sizer - 7
Kaylin Helinski - 6
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 - 40
Erin Baker - 38
Games
Kaylin Helinski - 63
Lauren Borchert - 51
Heidi Orloff - 44
Starts
Kaylin Helinski - 47
Lauren Borchert - 45
Olivia Mace - 38
UP NEXT
Wright State will travel to Green Bay for its Horizon League opener on Thursday, September 14, at 5 p.m. ET. The conference matchup will air on ESPN+.
