Weekly Preview: Sept. 3 - Sept. 9

by Mike Garabedian

September 4, 2012

Following a 1-1 opening weekend at Denison and Kenyon, the Mount Union women's soccer team will hit the road once again to face two more North Coast Athletic Conference opponents.

On Friday (Sept. 7), the Purple Raiders play the Hiram Terriers (1-1) in Hiram, Ohio. The Raiders are 15-1-1 against Hiram all-time. The lone tie came in the last meeting between the two schools, a 1-1 draw in 2010. Hiram dropped its opener to Houghton (N.Y.), 4-1, but won its second game over Medaille (N.Y.), 3-1. The Terriers are led in scoring by senior Ernestina Zappa and sophomore Samantha Zuponcic, who each have two goals this season. Hiram has been outscored 7-2 through two games; Mount Union has scored four goals and given up four goals as well. Friday's match is slated for 4 p.m.

The Raiders travel to Oberlin on Saturday (Sept. 8) for its final regular season match against an NCAC team. The Yeowomen enter the week with an 0-1 record - they lost to St. Vincent (Pa.) 1-0 on Aug. 31 - but play Baldwin Wallace on Tuesday (Sept. 4). Mount Union won its last match against Oberlin, a 1-0 victory in 2011, and is 5-5 all-time against the Yeowomen. Saturday's match is schedule to begin at 7 p.m.

Mount Union is coming off a 3-2 loss to Kenyon (Sept. 2) after knocking off Denison, 2-1, in the season-opener (Sept. 1). Freshman Shannon Evans(Newbury/Notre Dame Cathedral-Latin) posted three of the team's four goals over the weekend, including two in the 89th and 90th minutes in Mount Union's loss to Kenyon. Her second goal in the 90th minute came just 29 seconds after her first in the 89th minute. Evans scored the game-winning goal against Denison in the 78th minute.

Raider sophomore Nicole Moldovan (Cortland/Lakeview) scored the only other goal for Mount Union, a left-footed strike from point-blank range to even the score at one in the 58th minute against Denison.

Meanwhile, sophomore goalkeeper Maria Favorie (Chesterland/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) recorded 16 saves over the weekend, including nine against Kenyon.

Quick Links: Mount Union at Hiram - Friday, Sept. 7 (4 p.m.)