FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's soccer team (1-0-0) will travel to Ann Arbor to face off against Michigan (2-0-0) for a 5 p.m. match on Friday, Aug. 30. The game will be the Eagles' first outside the friendly confines of the FGCU Soccer Complex this season, as they are set to take on the Wovlerines at the U-M Soccer Stadium. The game will be streamed on BTN+, which requires a subscription.
Friday's matchup will be the second in the history between the two teams, which the Green and Blue lead 1-0 after claiming a 3-2 victory in Fort Myers last season. Senior
Evdokia Popadinova netted the go-ahead goal on a free kick from 22 yards out that broke up a 1-1 tie between the teams with 10 minutes left in the first half. Senior
Marjorie Boilesen tallied an assist in the match, while classmate
Melissa Weck came up with six saves.
Overall, the Eagles are 2-1 against Big Ten schools. In addition to the 1-0 edge over Michigan, FGCU has a split 1-1 record against Ohio State. Last season, the Eagles downed the Buckeyes 1-0 on the road, marking the team's first road win over a Big Ten opponent.
Through their first two games, the Wolverines have outscored their opponents 7-1. Michigan handed Marshall a 5-0 loss in the team's season opener on Thursday, Aug. 22 in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines then went on to defeat Utah Valley three days later by a score of 2-1 in overtime. Last season, the Wolverines finished the season with an 8-3 record at the U-M Soccer Stadium.
Multiple FGCU players have picked up where they left off last season and are chipping away at the Green and Blue record book.
Boilesen (Sao Paulo, Brazil/West Florida) found the back of the net twice in the season opener against FIU and now ranks sixth all-time with 18 career goals.
Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) earned the win in the match against the Panthers and is tied for the second-most career wins in school history with 42.
In addition to the individual preseason recognition members of the team have garnered, the FGCU women's soccer team was recently ranked
eighth in the South Region by the United Soccer Coaches. Of the 10 teams ranked in the region, all but the Eagles and UCF have played two games.
Last Time Out
• The Eagles were set to face off against SEC foe Auburn this past Sunday, but storm cells in the area forced a cancellation of the game after the first half.
• Since the teams only played 45 minutes, the NCAA Rulebook stated that game had to be ruled a "no contest". The minimum for a game to count is 70 minutes.
• Though the scoreboard read 0-0 at the half, FGCU clearly owned the opening 45 minutes of play. The home team outshot its visitors 6-4 and posted a 64-36% advantage in possession.
• Redshirt-junior
Megan Young (White Lake, MI/Walled Lake Northern HS) launched two great shots, one of which bounced off the left post.
Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Northwestern Ohio) earned a great one-on-one opportunity with the keeper, but came up empty.
• So far this season, 19 different players have made appearances for the Green and Blue.
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 - LINDSAY HAW - 2007-10
5. 22 - Paulina SPECKMAIER - 2013-16
6. 18 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19
7. 17 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
8. 16 - Gina PETRACCO - 2008-11
9. 14 - Evdokia Popadinova- 2018-19
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. 19 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
7. 18 - Melissa ARNOLD - 2011-14
18 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19
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. 57 - AMBER McCALL (24g 9a) - 2007-09
6. 54 - Marjorie Boilesen (18g 18a) - 2017-19
7. 53 - Ally KASUN (17g 19a) - 2012-15
8. 44 - Gina PETRACCO (16g 12a) - 2008-11
9. 40 - Ashley CIESIELCZYK (6g 28a) - 2008-12
10. 37 - Holly FRITZ (11g 15a) - 2017-18
Saves
1. 274 - Brittany BROWN (56 GA, 274 saves) - 2012-15
2. 261 - Stephanie POWERS (52 GA, 261 saves) - 2008-11
3. 202 - Melissa Weck (42 GA, 202 saves) - 2016-19
4. 55 - KIRSI KEENAN (16 GA, 55 saves) - 2007-10
Most shutouts
1. 37.1 - Brittany BROWN - 2012-15
2. 31 - Stephanie POWERS - 2008-11
3. 28.4 - Melissa Weck - 2016-19
4. 8 - KIRSI KEENAN - 2007-10
Goals against avg.
1. 0.67 - Brittany BROWN (56 GA, 7511 min) - 2012-15
2. 0.72 - Melissa Weck (42 GA, 5264 min) - 2016-19
3. 0.73 - Stephanie POWERS (52 GA, 6401 min) - 2008-11
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 157-55-23 (.710) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including a 76-14-14 (.798) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 397-126-34 (.741) 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 –
