SACRAMENTO -- The fight for postseason position in the Big Sky Conference standings enters its final two weeks as the Sacramento State women's soccer team hits the road for its final three matches of the regular season. The penultimate roadtrip of 2022 begins Friday (Oct. 14) in Cheney, Wash., as the Hornets take on Eastern Washington at 1 p.m., then continues Sunday (Oct. 16) with a short jaunt to Moscow, Idaho, to take on the Vandals at Noon.
MATCH #15
WHAT: Sacramento State (2-8-4, 2-2-1 Big Sky) at Eastern Washington (5-6-4, 2-1-2 Big Sky)
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 14, 2022
TIME: 1 p.m.
WHERE: Cheney, Wash.
STADIUM: EWU Soccer Field
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: GoEags.com
MATCH #16
WHAT: Sacramento State (2-8-4, 2-2-1 Big Sky) at Idaho (9-2-2, 4-1 Big Sky)
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022
TIME: Noon
WHERE: Moscow, Idaho
STADIUM: Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: GoVandals.com
IN THE POLLS: Neither Sacramento State, Eastern Washington, nor Idaho, are among the national rankings this week.
BE A FOLLOWER: Fans can keep up with the latest in Sacramento State athletics by following us on Facebook (/SacramentoStateAthletics), Twitter (@HornetSports), and Instagram (@sacstateathletics). You can also follow the Hornets' women's soccer program on all three platforms: Instagram (@sacstatewsoccer), Twitter (@sacstatewsoccer), and Facebook (/sacstatewsoccer).
WE'LL DO IT LIVE!: This week's matches will be streamed live on the ESPN+ subscription platform. Links to watch and for live stats for all matches throughout the season will be posted, as soon as they are available, on the women's soccer schedule page at HornetSports.com.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAINS!: The Hornets have named their captains for the 2022 season as senior Aubrey Goodwill has been joined by juniors Shylah Soon and Isabella Vinsonhaler.
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eagles enter the week with a 5-6-4 overall record and a 2-1-2 mark in Big Sky play... EWU is winless in its last three, but has two road draws at Northern Colorado and Montana in that span... The Eagles fell at Northern Arizona in their last outing on Oct. 6... Eastern Washington is an unblemished 5-0-1 at home this season, while going winless away from Cheney (0-6-3)... Juniors Maddie Morgan and Madison Kem lead the team with three goals apiece, while Morgan has added on three assists for a team-high nine points... Freshman goalkeeper Kamryn Willoughby has started 13 of the 15 matches in net, posting a 1.66 goals against average and 77 saves (.786 save percentage) to go with four shutouts.
SERIES NOTES: Sacramento State leads the all-time series with Eastern Washington by a 13-9-5 count and are unbeaten (1-0-2) in their last three against the Eagles following a 4-2 victory last year... Four of the last five meetings have been played in Sacramento (with the fifth a neutral site Big Sky Tournament meeting in 2019 won by EWU), as the two teams will face-off in Cheney, Wash., for the first time since 2018 -- a 1-0 Hornet victory... Sacramento State is 5-4-1 on the road against EWU, winning in 2018 and posting a scoreless draw in 2017 in its last two trips north... The Hornets are 3-0-3 in the last six regular season meetings as the Eagles haven't won outside of the conference tournament since a 1-0 victory in Sacramento in 2016... Before last season's win, four of the previous seven meetings were decided by a single goal, with the other three meetings ending in scoreless draws.
SCOUTING IDAHO: The Vandals enter the week with a 9-2-2 overall record and a 4-1 mark in conference play, facing off against Portland State on Friday before hosting Sacramento State... Idaho had been unbeaten in 10 consecutive matches (8-0-2) until suffering a 1-0 loss at Northern Arizona last week... Junior forward Maddy Lasher leads the team in goals (3), assists (4), and points (10), while putting nine of her 15 shot attempts on goal... Freshman goalkeeper Kira Witte has started all 13 matches between the pipes, posting a 0.62 goals against average (eight goals allowed) and 56 saves (.875 save percentage) to go with 11 shutouts... Witte leads the nation in shutouts, ranks No. 16 in save percentage, and No. 35 in goals against average.
SERIES NOTES: The series between Sacramento State and Idaho is tied at 6-6-1 dating back to 2001, with the Vandals leading the Big Sky series between the two by a 5-3-1 count since 2014... The Hornets posted a 2-1 victory at home in 2021 to snap a brief two-match skid... Sacramento State is only 1-5-1 on the road against Idaho and is winless in its five trips (0-4-1) to Moscow, Idaho, last winning in 2006 by a 6-0 score before both were members of the league... Three of the last four meetings have been one-goal margins.
BIG SKY BIG PICTURE: After three weekends of league play, the Hornets enter the week clinging to one of six playoff berths for the Big Sky Conference Tournament in Greeley, Colo., on Nov. 2-6, tied with Montana for fifth with seven points each. Sacramento State is only two points back of Northern Arizona (which they face on Oct. 21) and one point behind Eastern Washington -- one of this week's opponents. Portland State leads the league with 13 points, standing one point ahead of Idaho, which is in second with 12 points.
FILL IN THE BLANK: Sacramento State's shutout streak over its last four matches grew to a total of 364:14 before Idaho State put one in the back of the net on Oct. 9 to end the run. It was the longest scoreless streak since holding opponents without a goal over a span of six matches from Oct. 13-Nov. 8, 2019 -- a run that included four consecutive shutouts.
ROAD WOE-IORS: If the Hornets are to clinch a spot in the Big Sky Tournament for the third time in the last three full regular seasons, they are going to have to do it in a place where they have struggled in recent years... on the road. One of three teams yet to post a road win in 2022, Sacramento State is a combined 1-12-3 on the road over its last two seasons, posting its only win in that span at Idaho State on Oct. 17, 2021.
GAME-WINNER? DUNN DEAL: Jasmyne Dunn enters this weekend's contests with three career goals and three career assists to her name in the green and gold, but what's been more impressive has been the timing of those points. All three of her goals have gone down as game-winners against Eastern Washington last year as well as Northern Colorado and Weber State this season (which places her in a tie for third in the league), while one of her assists came on the game-winner against Idaho in 2021.
OUT EARLY: The Hornets have done most of their scoring damage in the first 45 minutes this season, scoring eight of their nine goals in the first half. Only Abigail Lopez has dented the back of the net in the second half for Sacramento State this season, scoring in the 49th minute at Pacific on Aug. 21.
MINUTE WOMAN: Goalkeeper Mia Shalit has played all 1,260 minutes between the pipes for the Hornets this season -- the most by a Sacramento State keeper since Aaliyah Fesili went the distance for 1,861 minutes over 19 matches in 2019, which ranks tied for fourth on the school's single-season list. It's a single-season best for Shalit, who split time with Katie Price in 2021, appearing in 907 minutes over 10 contests for the Hornets.
A FULL 90: Continuing the theme, five Hornet field players have played a full 90 minutes a total of 28 times, led by Aubrey Goodwill's nine such contests (including each of her last six) and Lexi Rakela's eight. Ali Fuamatu-Ma'afala (six), Madelyn Dougherty (three), Darian Louthan (two), and Erika Tilford (one), have also played all 90 minutes in a match this season, while Jasmyne Dunn has added a team-high six matches with at least 80 minutes played.
NO GOALS FOR YOU!: Since the start of conference play, junior goalkeeper Mia Shalit has been downright stingy, allowing just three goals past her and posting a 0.60 goals against average over her five starts, making 19 saves to go with an .864 save percentage and three clean sheets.
HORNETS' 1-2 PUNCH: Abigail Lopez and Aubrey Goodwill enter the week ranked among the top 10 in the Big Sky in a number of categories. Goodwill stands tied for sixth in the league in points (9), tied for sixth in points per match (0.64), tied for fourth in goals (4), and tied for fifth in goals per game (0.29). Meanwhile, Lopez enters the week tied for ninth in points (7), eighth in points per match (0.62), tied for seventh in goals (3), tied for eighth in goals per match (0.23), and tied for eighth in both assists (2) and assists per match (0.15).
PKs ARE OK: The Hornets have done well to make opposing teams pay for fouls in the box this season as their four makes (in four attempts) from the penalty spot are the most in the NCAA as of Oct. 13 (tied with California and Santa Clara for the top spot), and Sacramento State is one of only 18 schools to make at least three on the year. Individually, Aubrey Goodwill and Abigail Lopez are tied for 15th in the nation with their spotless 2-for-2 showings from the spot, just one off the national lead shared by 14 other players who are 3-for-3 on the season.
RUN AWAY!: When you see Lopez near the penalty area, its best you stay away from her. The sophomore has been adept at getting the attention of the officials this year, drawing the foul either in or near the top of the box that has led to three of the Hornets' eight goals this year (Pacific, UC Davis, and CSU Bakersfield). Jordan Goularte is responsible for a fourth after being taken down in the box by a UC Santa Barbara defender that led to Lopez's third goal of the season, Kalista Hardy drew another that resulted in a Goodwill goal off a free kick against the Roadrunners, and Dunn drew the foul that allowed Goodwill to put home the penalty against Montana.
DRAW!: Sacramento State's scoreless draw at Portland State was the first for the Hornets since they battled Eastern Washington to a pair of goalless results during the pandemic-delayed spring 2020-21 season. Meanwhile, the four ties the most since that spring season when Sacramento State finished 3-4-4 against an abbreviated schedule. The single-season school record for draws is six, set by the 2019 squad that finished 11-2-6 overall.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: After starting the season without breaking double digits in the shot column, the Hornets have now done so in three of their last four matches, including unleashed a season-high 17 shot attempts in their win over Northern Colorado and adding 15 more last weekend against Idaho State. The 17 attempts against the Bears were the most for the team since the Hornets finished with the same number against Northern Arizona on Oct. 22 of last season.
GOODWILL HUNTING: Entering the season ranked tied for third on the school's all-time list with 13 career assists, Goodwill broke a three-way tie and grabbed hold of the spot all by her lonesome with her 14th career assist at Pacific on Aug. 21. The 14 career helpers (to go along with 10 career goals -- seven of those from the penalty spot) put Goodwill just eight helpers back of record-holder Katie McCoy, who collected 22 career assists from 2004-07.
STOP! SHALIT TIME!: Junior goalkeeper Mia Shalit continues to rank among the busiest keepers in the Big Sky entering the week, ranked third in the league in overall saves (69) and third in saves per match (4.93) through 14 contests thus far. Nationally, Shalit is also shining, ranked No. 19 in minutes played (1260:00), No. 28 in total saves, and No. 54 in saves per match.
SHALIT SAVES: When it comes to facing nationally ranked opponents, junior goalkeeper Mia Shalit has risen to the occasion. After logging a career-high 15 saves in the regular season opener against then-No. 21 Stanford, Shalit nearly matched that performance on Sept. 15 against then-No. 22 Washington, making 11 stops in a contest that was a one-goal game until the final nine minutes. The performance was Shalit's third career double-digit save total as a Hornet when you include an 11-save effort at Saint Mary's in 2021.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A RECORD: Well, it was close. Shalit's 15-save performance against nationally ranked Stanford in the season opener ranked second on the school's single-match list, trailing only Dawn Anderson's 20 stops against Pacific in 1995, while the total was the highest by a Big Sky Conference goalkeeper since Southern Utah's Isabella Whitmore had 19 stops against UNLV on Nov. 3, 2019.
BE QUICK, BUT DON'T HURRY: Jasmyne Dunn's goal (and game-winner) against Northern Colorado was the fastest by a Hornet this season and the earliest that Sacramento State has scored since Kylee Kim-Bustillos scored just 64 seconds into a match against UC Davis on Aug. 23, 2019. Dunn's goal also marked the third time this season that the Hornets have scored in the first 10 minutes of the match, joining Abigail Lopez's score at Pacific (Aug. 21) and Aubrey Goodwill's goal at CSU Bakersfield (Sept. 18).
PRESEASON PICKS...: Sacramento State was picked to finish sixth in the Big Sky Conference according to a vote of the league's head coaches released on Aug. 11, receiving 30 points to stand just ahead of Eastern Washington (26) and just behind Idaho (35). Reigning regular season champ Northern Colorado picked up six first-place votes and was picked atop the poll with 61 points, edging out tournament champ Montana, which was second with 54 points overall and a pair of first-place votes. Weber State received the final first-place vote and was third with 51 points followed by Northern Arizona (43) and the Vandals in the top five.
THE STUDENTS HAVE BECOME THE TEACHERS: A pair of Hornet alumnae will make their bench debuts as members of the coaching staff in 2022 as Jennifer Lum (Class of '17) and Danielle Davis (Class of '22) assume the roles of assistant and volunteer assistant coach, respectively. Complete details are available at HornetSports.com.
WHAT I DID LAST SUMMER...: Junior goalkeeper Mia Shalit has herself quite an essay to write when it comes to sharing her summer after the Chula Vista, Calif., native spent most of her "time off" training and competing with the Peruvian Women's National Team. Called into camp in early June, Shalit was one of three goalkeepers to make the final cut and traveled with the team to Columbia for the 2022 CONMEBOL Women's Copa America Tournament where Peru faced off against Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, and defending champion Brazil. It's not the first international experience for Shalit, who has competed with Peru's various age-group national teams since 2015.
