FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's soccer team (8-3-1, 3-0-1 ASUN) collected its sixth shutout of the season as the Eagles handed Kennesaw State (7-7-0, 2-3-0 ASUN) a 2-0 loss Thursday night at the FGCU Soccer Complex.

The Eagles are tied for second in the league standings with UNF. The Liberty Flames, who have played one more conference match than the Green and Blue, remain at the top of the ASUN.

"This felt like a playoff game, it had that level of energy," head coach Jim Blankenship said. "This is a huge result for us. We tip our hats to them because we knew this would be a tough game for us and they beat us last year. I'm really proud of how the players came out, responded to pressure and competed the whole game."

Senior Evdokia Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Northwestern Ohio) tallied a shot on-frame in the first 30 seconds of the match, providing evidence of the high level of intensity that the Eagles brought against the Owls right out of the gate.  FGCU forced Kennesaw State to make three saves before the visiting team challenged senior Melissa Weck in the 23rd minute, marking the Green and Blue keeper's first save of the night.

Freshman Louise Lillback found the back of the net for the sixth time this season with about 15 minutes left in the first half to cap off an unassisted drive. The shot marked the third time that the rookie has scored in the team's last four matches. FGCU took the 1-0 edge into the break, as well as a 13-5 advantage in shots.

The Owls stepped up their intensity in the second stanza and forced Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) to make a highlight-reel stop in the 59th minute to prevent the equalizer. That shot was one of two that Kennesaw State tallied in the entire second half of play, as the Eagles' back line continued to flex the dominance it has recently shown.

Senior Silvana Gordon put the game away for FGCU, driving in a cross from Lillback (Stockholm, Sweden/Tibble Gymnasium) with less than four minutes left in the match. The goal was Gordon's (Medford, NJ/Shawnee HS) first of the season and the fourth of her career. From there, the Eagles held on for the win.

Weck collected her fifth shutout of the season and was only required to make three saves. She is now just 4.7 shutouts away from the FGCU career record with five matches left in the regular season. Lillback now leads the team with 16 points, which she has tallied from six goals and four assists. 

Up Next
FGCU will host conference foe NJIT (5-3-3, 2-0-1 ASUN) in a 1 p.m. match on Sunday, Oct. 13 at the FGCU Soccer Complex. Prior to kick-off, head coach Jim Blankenship and his staff will honor the eight members of the graduating class: Marjorie Boilesen, Opal Curless, Silvana Gordon, Emilie Olsen, Lindsey Patton, Evdokia Popadinova, Petra Smetkova and Melissa Weck. Fans are invited to participate in a white out and to join the team for the senior ceremony, which will begin at 12:35 p.m..

ASUN Standings
1. Liberty (8-5-2, 4-1-0 ASUN)
T-2. UNF (9-3-2, 3-0-1 ASUN)
T-2. FGCU (8-3-1, 3-0-1 ASUN)
T-4. Lipscomb (8-5-1, 2-1-1 ASUN)
T-4. NJIT (5-3-3, 2-0-1 ASUN)
6. Kennesaw State (7-7-0, 2-3-0 ASUN)
T-7. Stetson (2-9-2, 0-3-1 ASUN)
T-7. Jacksonville (0-10-3, 0-4-1 ASUN)
9. North Alabama (4-9-0, 0-4-0 ASUN)



Career records of note:
Goals 
1. 66 - Tabby TINDELL - 2013-16
2. 28 - Shannen WACKER - 2011-14
3. 24 - Amber McCALL - 2007-09
4. 23 - Lindsey HAW - 2007-10
5. 22 - Paulina SPECKMAIER - 2013-16
6. 21 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19 
21 - Evdokia Popadinova- 2018-19 
8. 17 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
9. 16 - Gina PETRACCO - 2008-11
10. 12 - Olivia ELIAS - 2008-11
12 - Ali ROGERS - 2012-16

Assists 
1. 30 - Tabby TINDELL - 2013-16
2. 28 - Ashley CIESIELCZYK - 2008-12
3. 27 - Shannen WACKER - 2011-14
4. 22 - Lindsay HAW - 2007-10
22 - Paulina SPECKMAIER - 2013-16
6. 20 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19 
19 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
7. 18 - Melissa ARNOLD - 2011-14
9. 15 - Holly FRITZ - 2017-18
15 - Caytlan MACKENZIE - 2007-10
15 - Meaghan MULLIGAN - 2015-17
15 - Camille KNUDSTRUP - 2015-18

Points 
1. 162 - Tabby TINDELL (66g 30a) - 2013-16
2. 83 - Shannen WACKER (28g 27a) - 2011-14
3. 68 - Lindsay HAW (23g 22a) - 2007-10
4. 66 - Paulina SPECKMAIER (22g 22a) - 2013-16
5. 62 - Marjorie Boilesen (21g 20a) - 2017-19 
6. 57 - AMBER McCALL (24g 9a) - 2007-09
7. 53 - Ally KASUN (17g 19a) - 2012-15
8. 50 - Evdokia Popadinova (21g 8a)- 2018-19 
9. 44 - Gina PETRACCO (16g 12a) - 2008-11
10. 40 - Ashley CIESIELCZYK (6g 28a) - 2008-12

Saves 
1. 274 - Brittany BROWN (56 GA, 274 saves) - 2012-15
2. 261 - Stephanie POWERS (52 GA, 261 saves) - 2008-11
3. 232 - Melissa Weck (52 GA, 232 saves) - 2016-19 
4. 55 - Kirsi KEENAN (16 GA, 55 saves) - 2007-10

Most shutouts 
1. 37.1 - Brittany BROWN - 2012-15
2. 32.4 - Melissa Weck - 2016-19 
3. 31 - Stephanie POWERS - 2008-11
4. 8 - Kirsi KEENAN - 2007-10

Goals against avg.
1. 0.67 - Brittany BROWN (56 GA, 7511 min) - 2012-15
2. 0.73 - Stephanie POWERS (52 GA, 6401 min) - 2008-11
3. 0.75 - Melissa Weck (52 GA, 6202 min) - 2016-19 
4. 0.84 - EMILY BARRETT (5 GA, 538 min) - 2007-09

FALL SPORTS SINGLE-GAME, SEASON AND GROUP TICKETS ON SALE
Single game tickets for volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer are on sale now. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for military/veterans (with ID) and youth (age 15 and under).

Season tickets (entry to each home game) are $55 for volleyball and women's soccer and $40 for men's soccer. Group tickets are $7 for groups of 15 or more and will include reserved seats, group recognition, a group activity and choice of FGCU gear or food. Fall Frequent Flyer passes, which includes a total of 30 entries to all three sports, are just $99.

For all inquiries, you can visit FGCUtickets.com, call 239-590-7145 or stop by the ticket office, which is open daily Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to all home events.

FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.

COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 12 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 11 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles as they became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. A year later, the Eagles became the first ASUN women's soccer program to make four-straight NCAA Tournaments with another tournament title in 2017. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 164-58-24 (.715) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including a 79-14-15 (.803) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 404-128-35 (.743) over 26 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.
 
-- FGCUATHLETICS.COM –