FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's soccer team (9-3-1, 4-0-1 ASUN) claimed a 2-0 senior day victory over NJIT (8-6-0, 2-3-0 ASUN) Sunday afternoon at the FGCU Soccer Complex. The Eagles now stand at the top of the ASUN standings and are the only team undefeated in conference play.

"This is a great result for us, we knew that today was going to be really challenging," head coach Jim Blankenship said. "NJIT was one of a handful of undefeated teams in the conference, but I'm really happy with the pressure we put on them. We had two great goals and a really solid defensive performance. It was overall a great game for us and we put together a complete performance."

For the fourth consecutive match, the Eagles found the back of the net in the opening 45 minutes of play. Redshirt-junior Megan Young was the first to get the home team on the board, converting a pass from sophomore Kara Kyramarios just 13 minutes into the game. Young's (White Lake, MI/Walled Lake Northern HS) goal was her first of the season and the second of her career.

Freshman Louise Lillback (Stockholm, Sweden/Tibble Gymnasium) extended the team's lead with less than six minutes to go in the first stanza, knocking in the seventh goal of her rookie campaign. Seniors Evdokia Popadinova and Marjorie Boilesen were each credited with an assist as the team jumped out 2-0 over NJIT.

FGCU limited the visiting Highlanders to just one shot in the first half, taking its 2-0 advantage into the break.  

The Eagles' defense prevented senior keeper Melissa Weck from being tested until the 58th minute of the match, when NJIT's Katrina Nguyen-DeMary tallied the team's first on-frame attempt. Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) went on to make just two more saves as she cruised to her sixth solo shutout of the season.

FGCU had a few more chances to score, one of which was a bicycle kick off the foot of senior Lindsey Patton that the NJIT keeper just barely corralled. Kyramarios (Titusville, FL/Titusville HS), Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Northwestern Ohio) and junior Hope Van Wagner (Avon, IN/Avon HS) also notched on-frame attempts in the final minutes of play, but the team ultimately held on to its original lead for the victory.

With the win, the Eagles extend their unbeaten streak to eight matches. The team has not lost since Sept. 12 and has outscored opponents 15-3 during the stretch.

Up Next
FGCU will remain at the Nest to host UNF (9-4-2, 3-1-1 ASUN) in its final home ASUN match of the season. The teams are slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Thursday, Oct. 17. The match will be a green out and Faculty/Staff VIP Night at the FGCU Soccer Complex.



ASUN Standings
1. FGCU (9-3-1, 4-0-1 ASUN)
2. Liberty (8-6-2, 4-2-0 ASUN)
T-3. UNF (9-4-2, 3-1-1 ASUN)
T-3. Lipscomb (9-5-1, 3-1-1 ASUN)
5. Kennesaw State (8-7-0, 3-3-0 ASUN)
6. NJIT (5-4-3, 2-1-1 ASUN)
7. North Alabama (5-9-0, 1-4-0 ASUN)
T-8. Stetson (2-9-2, 0-3-1 ASUN)
T-8. Jacksonville (0-11-3, 0-5-1 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. 21 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19 
7.19 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
8. 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. 63 - Marjorie Boilesen (21g 21a) - 2017-19 
6. 57 - AMBER McCALL (24g 9a) - 2007-09
7. 53 - Ally KASUN (17g 19a) - 2012-15
8. 51 - Evdokia Popadinova (21g 9a)- 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. 236 - Melissa Weck (52 GA, 236 saves) - 2016-19 
4. 55 - Kirsi KEENAN (16 GA, 55 saves) - 2007-10

Most shutouts 
1. 37.1 - Brittany BROWN - 2012-15
2. 33.4 - 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. 0.74 - Melissa Weck (52 GA, 6292 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 165-58-24 (.715) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including an 80-14-15 (.803) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 405-128-35 (.744) 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 –