August 23, 2005
USI women’s soccer starts fall campaign in Michigan
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana women’s soccer team goes north to begin the 2005 schedule in the Grand Valley State Tournament August 26 and August 28. USI will play a neutral site match Friday against Ferris State University at 1 p. m.(CDT) and will play host Grand Valley State University Sunday at noon (CDT).
The Screaming Eagles are coming off a strong, but disappointing exhibition loss to the University of Evansville, 2-1. USI led the cross-town Division I foe for nearly 50 minutes before allowing a pair of goals in the second half.
The Eagles begin the new season by returning their top three offensive threats from 2004. Sophomore forward Julie Collins (Merrillville, Indiana) led the team with 13 points on a team-best five goals and three assists, while senior forward Brooklyn Gant (Evansville, Indiana) followed with 12 points on four goals and a team-high four assists.
Senior midfielder Alisann Shetler (Evansville, Indiana) rounds out the top three returnees, scoring nine points on four goals and one assist. Shetler also ranks fourth all-time at USI with 40 career-points and 18 career-goals.
Defensively, junior goalkeeper Casey Hrvatin (Evansville, Indiana) and sophomore goalkeeper Meagan Homolla (Portage, Indiana) lead the Eagles between the posts. Hrvatin, who ranks third all-time at USI with 144 career-saves, had a team-best 1.65 goals against average and a pair of shutouts last year.
Homolla, who had a 2.43 GAA as a freshman, ranks fifth all-time in saves after just one season and also had two shutouts in 2004.
Ferris State also begins the 2005 campaign Friday after posting a 9-9-1 overall record a year ago. The Bulldogs, who defeated USI last fall 2-1, are led by senior forward Lindsey Pawloski and senior midfielder Andrea Moma.
Pawloski led Ferris State with 23 points on a team-best 10 goals and three assists, while Moma was third on the squad with 12 points on four goals and a team-high four assists.
Between the posts for the Bulldogs, junior goalkeeper Carla Gilbertson returns after posting a 1.56 GAA in 19 matches last fall.
The Eagles conclude the first road trip of the season by playing host Grand Valley State. The Lakers, who will open the tournament against Quincy University on Friday, were 15-5-0 last year and lost to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Senior forward Mirela Tutundzic is GVSU’s top returning scorer, scoring 50 points on 21 goals and eight assists. She was followed by junior midfielder Shannon Carrier with 30 points on nine goals and 12 assists.
Between the posts, junior goalkeeper Erin Murphy paced the Lakers with a 0.81 GAA in 19 games. She also had seven shutouts as a sophomore.
GVSU evened the all-time series with USI, 1-1-0, by defeating the Eagles last fall, 4-0.
Following the road trip, the Eagles begin the home part of the schedule September 3 when USI hosts Ashland University for a men’s and women’s doubleheader.
Ray Simmons, USI Sports Information
