MIAMI (Sept. 2, 2014) – After splitting its weekend in California, the FIU women's soccer team (2-2-0) returns home for a seven-game home stand. The Panthers will first welcome the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles to Miami for a 7:30 p.m. mid-week matchup on Wednesday.

Coverage
Wednesday vs. Florida Gulf Coast – 7:30 p.m.
Venue: FIU Soccer Stadium, Miami, Fla.
Follow on Twitter: @FIUWomensSoccer
LiveStats: Click HERE
Stream: Click HERE
 
Scouting the Eagles/ Series History
Picked to finish first in the A-Sun for the fifth-straight preseason poll, Florida Gulf Coast comes to Miami sporting a 2-1 record, with the team's only loss coming to USF (0-1). Against similar opponents in 2014, the Eagles hold a 1-0 edge, as they defeated the Arizona Wildcats, in the second game of the season. Tabby Tindell has scored 75 percent of the Eagles' goals this season (3-of-4), to earn the sophomore A-Sun Player of the Week accolades after the conclusion of the first week of play.
 
Through seven games, Florida Gulf Coast holds an impressive 1-5-1 edge over the Panthers.
 
Up Next
Following Wednesday's match with the Eagles, the Panthers will turn its attention to a 5 p.m. meeting with the Murray State Racers on Friday, as part of a doubleheader with the men's soccer team, who plays shortly after the conclusion of the women's game.
 
Shim a Senior Class Finalist 
Senior Ashleigh Shim has been named one of 30 Senior CLASS Award candidates. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a classified NCAA Division 1 senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
 
Itching to Join
Redshirt senior Chelsea Leiva has 27 career goals following her goal against the Pacific Tigers on Aug. 31. With the goal, Leiva now has 27 career goals, pacing her one goal shy from joining the top five in FIU history. Below are the top five goal scorers in Panther soccer history:
 
                1.            Michele O'Brien (1998-2001)          58
                2.            Catherine Liller (1990-93)               50
                3.            Cindy Greenman (1992-96)            44
                4.            Sasja Odenyo (2000-01)                 37
                5.            Delia DeSilva (1991-94)                  28
 
Where that Stands in C-USA
Leiva's 71 career points and 27 career goals ranks as the highest among current Conference USA member school's players.
 
Best in Shots
Leiva has a team-high 10 shots in 2014. That gives her 226 career shots sporting the blue and goal, which is the third most in FIU history. Below is the top five shot leaders in program history:
 
 
                1.            Michele O'Brien (1998-01)            288
                2.            Catherine Liller (1990-93)             272
                3.            Chelsea Leiva (2010-pres.)         226
                4.            Cindy Greenman (1992-96)          202
                5.            Christine Liller (1986-89)              187
 
 
Home Sweet Home
FIU will play a season-high seven-straight game from the FIU Soccer Stadium, following a three-game road trip, which takes the Panthers to the West Coast. It's the longest such home streak since FIU played eight in a row at home during the 1995 season, spanning the entire month of October. Below is the last time FIU played at least seven-consecutive home matches:
 
10/6................ Florida Atlantic...............W, 4-1
10/10................. St. Thomas.................W, 3-0
10/14.............UNC-Greensboro.............L, 1-4
10/15.......................UCF.......................T, 3-3
10/20....................Indiana......................L, 4-0
10/22....................Stetson.....................W, 4-1
10/27..................Villanova^....................L, 3-4
10/28..............George Mason^...............L, 0-1
 
Moving on Up
Senior Ashleigh Shim posted two goals on Sunday, Aug. 24 against North Florida. Those two goals moved the Jacksonville, Fla., native into the top 10 in scoring. She's tied for No. 10 in goals (17) with Joleen Hinks. Points-wise, she is No. 9 all-time with 44 points.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWomensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest FIU women's soccer news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of Conference USA. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and the FIU Football Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.

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