DAYTON- The Wright State women's soccer team (7-6-4, 4-1-4 HL) hosts Northern Kentucky for a pivotal final match of the 2025 regular season. First touch is set for 7 p.m. The first 50 fans through the gate will receive a Wright State blanket, and the first 250 fans will receive a BEAT NKU t-shirt.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Saturday, October 25 - WATCH (ESPN+) | FOLLOW LIVE STATS
 
LAST TIME OUT
 The Raiders scored three unanswered second-half goals to comeback and stun Robert Morris 3-2 Saturday night at Alumni Field.
 
Robert Morris would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first 45 minutes. The Colonials would open the scoring in the 15^th minute. Ava Trethewey sent a shot from far outside the 18-yard box that went over everyone's head and into the back of the net. Robert Morris would get their second goal in the 36^th minute when Paloma Swankler dribbled the ball around Kiera Sarka in net and slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
 
Wright State went into the locker room at halftime and made the proper adjustments to embark on a comeback.
 
Olivia Stroud would get the Raiders on the board in the 59th minute. Ruby Dunlevy fired a shot on goal that the Robert Morris goalie couldn't contain, and Stroud tapped the rebound into the back of the net.
 
The Raiders would level the score in the 69th minute. Zara Graff played a long cross into the box to Taliah Pellizzari. The Freshman settled the ball and buried a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
 
Wright State would be awarded a penalty in the 75th minute when Samara Nunn was taken down in the box. Caitlin Burger would take the penalty for the Raiders and fired a shot past the diving Colonials' keeper.
 
SCOUTING THE NORSE
Northern Kentucky comes into the final match of the regular season at 10-2-5 on the season with a 7-1-1 mark in Horizon League play. The Norse are riding a three-game win streak and are unbeaten in October, with their last loss coming at Milwaukee on September 28. Before last Saturday's 3-2 win over Youngstown State, Northern Kentucky had recorded four straight shutouts. Offensively, Northern Kentucky is powered by the reigning Horizon League women's soccer offensive player of the week, Lily Yordy. The graduate student leads the team in points (22) and assists (8) and is tied for second on the team in goals (7). Megan Gessner has been the main goalie for the Norse, playing and starting 17 games in net. Allowing 11 goals while recording 62 saves.

HISTORY VS. NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Wednesday will mark the 13th meeting all-time between Wright State and Northern Kentucky, a series the Norse lead 8-2-2 all-time. Northern Kentucky came out on top 1-0 when the two squads met last season in Highlands Heights. Wright State's last win in the series came in 2022 at Northern Kentucky 2-1.

POSTSEASON IMPLICATIONS
Both teams have clinched a spot in the 2025 Horizon League Women's Soccer Championships, but Wednesday's game can impact both teams' seeding.
 
Northern Kentucky has currently clinched a top-two seed in the Horizon League Championship. The Norse could win the regular season with a win over Wright State on Wednesday evening and a Milwaukee draw or loss. It would be Northern Kentucky's first regular-season championship since 2020.
 
Wright State has currently clinched a top-five seed but can be as high as a three seed and as low as a five seed. The Raiders would clinch the third seed with a win over Northern Kentucky on Wednesday and a Youngstown State draw or loss. Wright State would drop to the fifth seed with a loss and a Green Bay win or draw. Otherwise, Wright State would end up as the fourth seed.
 
As the third or fourth seed, the Raiders would host a first-round playoff game at Alumni Field on Sunday, November 2, at 1 p.m. local time
 
HISTORIC START TO CONFERENCE PLAY
Wright State was undefeated through the first six games of conference play for the first time in program history. The Raiders have been undefeated through their first five games twice before in 2022 and 2016. In 2016, they went 4-0-1 with wins over Green Bay, Cleveland State, Youngstown State, and Valparaiso, plus a draw with Detroit Mercy. In 2022, the Raiders went 3-0-2 with wins over Milwaukee, Youngstown State, and Green Bay, plus draws with IUPUI and Cleveland State. Ten different players have scored Wright State's 13 goals in conference play. The goals have been scored by Amber Branum, Caitlin Burger, Makenzie Chinn, Ruby Dunlevy, Zara Graff, Mariella Hartmann, Samara Nunn, Taliah Pellizzari, Olivia Stroud (Four Goals), and Ashley Vaughn. Kiera Sarka has played 675 minutes in goal, allowing eight goals while recording 33 saves en route to three shutouts.
 
SEPTEMBER SHUTDOWN
After allowing 13 goals in the team's first five matches, head coach Travis Sobers challenged his team to limit goal-scoring opportunities for the opposition to give the Raiders the best chance to win. The team has responded by allowing only four goals across its next seven matches in September, including a streak of four straight 1-0 shutouts. During the shutout streak, the Raiders played 437 minutes of match play without conceding a goal, spanning from the 58^th minute against Bellarmine on September 4 and the 38^th minute against IU Indy on September 28. Leigha Lauer and Sarka have both seen action between the posts over the three-game span. Sarka has recorded two solo shutouts, and Lauer has recorded one solo shutout. The pair split the shutout at Central Michigan, each playing 45 minutes.

SIZING UP THE 2025 SQUAD
WSU welcomes eight newcomers — including seven freshmen — to this season's roster. The Raiders' 34-player roster includes seven freshmen, six sophomores, 10 juniors, nine seniors, and a pair of graduate students.

OHIO STRONG
Wright State's 2025 roster features 24 players from Ohio – including 14 from the Dayton metro area (Beavercreek, Bellbrook, Dayton, Miamisburg, Springboro, Tipp City, Troy, Vandalia, Xenia).