Mavs Face Iowa State in Preseason Exhibition
Aug 14, 2014 | Women's Soccer
The 2014-15 UNO Athletics season kicks off Friday with the Maverick women's soccer team traveling to Iowa State for an exhibition at 8 p.m. Live stats will be available at OMavs.com. The exhibition is the only one for the Maverick women this season. Omaha opens the regular season on Friday, Aug. 22 with the home opener against Incarnate Word at 7 p.m.
The Teams
Omaha is coming off a 3-11-2 season with a 1-6 record in the Summit League, but the Mavericks feel as though they played better than their record indicated. Although the Mavs have eight starters back, they will be a young squad with only two seniors on the roster in Anna Sibson and Ali Engler. All-Summit League second-team defender Hannah Wampler and All-Freshman Team defender Lauren Lawler will again look to lead the back line, as the Mavericks try to convert their solid play into more results this season. In all, 14 letterwinners return. Junior forward Chelsi Rohloff is the top returning scoring threat after recording two goals and three assists in her first season at UNO last year. Sophomore Ava Doetsch scored two goals last season but may see time at both defense and forward this year. Courtney Neville and Marquette Pick controlled the central midfield for UNO in 2013 and both are back as juniors. In goal, junior Meaghan Clark is back after starting the last two seasons. Clark posted a .730 save percentage with a 1.81 goals against average last season. Sophomore defender Morgan Westenburg is back in the fold after missing the entire 2013 season with an injury. As a freshman, Westenburg started all 18 matches and had one goal. The Mavs will need early contributions from some of their eight newcomers. Creighton transfer Kyla Booker brings two years of experience and scored two goals last season for the Jays.
Iowa State went 9-9-2 last season and 3-4-1 in the Big 12. The Cyclones return six starters and 18 letterwinners. Leading the way is forward Koree Willer, who as a freshman was the team's third-leading scorer with four goals and six assists. Iowa State lost its top two scorers in Emily Goldstein and Jennifer Dominguez. The duo combined for 11 goals and nine assists. ISU's strength might be in the midfield, where they return three starters.
Series History
The teams met for a regular-season match in 2012 at the UNO Soccer Field, with the Cyclones posting a 4-0 victory. That marks the only meeting between the two programs.
Grab Your Season-Ticket Scarves
The UNO women's and men's soccer teams are doing a joint season-long promotion for 2014 where if you buy an official “Omaha Soccer” scarf for $30, you get into every home game as long as you have your scarf with you. Scarves are on sale at the Sapp Fieldhouse ticket office and at each home game. For just $30, you can see $82 worth of Maverick women's and men's soccer games this fall.
Mavs Picked Eighth in Summit Preseason Poll
The Mavs were picked to finish eighth in the Summit League Preseason Poll. The poll is voted on by the league's head coaches. The Mavericks garnered 17 points. UNO returns eight starters and 14 letterwinners from last year's 3-11-2 squad. Denver was selected to repeat as league champions with the maximum 64 points and eight first-place votes. The Pioneers, ranked No. 25 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Preseason Poll, went a perfect 7-0-0 in league play last season and advanced to their second straight NCAA Tournament. South Dakota State received the only other first-place vote - league coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams - and finished second with 55 points. North Dakota State came in third with 48 points, while Oral Roberts was fourth with 42 points. Western Illinois (34), Fort Wayne (31) and IUPUI (19) came in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. UNO's 17 points edged out South Dakota's 14 points to round out the poll.
Last Season of Transition
The 2014 season marks the final one that the Mavs will be unable to compete in the Summit League Championship and NCAA Tournament. As part of its transition to Division I, the Mavs had to sit out postseason play from 2011-12 to 2014-15. The top four teams in the league standings qualify for the Summit League Championship.
FIFA Awards UNO Soccer Pitch Prestigious Rating
The new University of Nebraska Omaha soccer pitch at Caniglia Field, installed by Hellas Construction, has received the prestigious FIFA Recommended 2-Star certification, the highest synthetic turf rating from FIFA, the international governing body of soccer. The Maverick soccer programs are now the only NCAA Division I teams that can call a FIFA 2-Star field their home, distinguishing Caniglia Field as the elite synthetic turf in Division I soccer. Only four synthetic turf fields in the U.S. currently hold the FIFA Recommended 2-Star certification, which lasts for one year but is eligible for a new test each year. Joining Al F. Caniglia Field among that elite group are CenturyLink Field (Seattle Sounders), Gillette Stadium (New England Revolution) and North Shore United soccer club in Cedarburg, Wis. The rating was issued after a series of tests performed by a FIFA approved testing agent to examine the quality, comfort, safety and performance of the playing surface. Caniglia Field features an infill that enhances stability, reduces the field temperature and creates more natural playing characteristics to help decrease the risk of injuries.
The Teams
Omaha is coming off a 3-11-2 season with a 1-6 record in the Summit League, but the Mavericks feel as though they played better than their record indicated. Although the Mavs have eight starters back, they will be a young squad with only two seniors on the roster in Anna Sibson and Ali Engler. All-Summit League second-team defender Hannah Wampler and All-Freshman Team defender Lauren Lawler will again look to lead the back line, as the Mavericks try to convert their solid play into more results this season. In all, 14 letterwinners return. Junior forward Chelsi Rohloff is the top returning scoring threat after recording two goals and three assists in her first season at UNO last year. Sophomore Ava Doetsch scored two goals last season but may see time at both defense and forward this year. Courtney Neville and Marquette Pick controlled the central midfield for UNO in 2013 and both are back as juniors. In goal, junior Meaghan Clark is back after starting the last two seasons. Clark posted a .730 save percentage with a 1.81 goals against average last season. Sophomore defender Morgan Westenburg is back in the fold after missing the entire 2013 season with an injury. As a freshman, Westenburg started all 18 matches and had one goal. The Mavs will need early contributions from some of their eight newcomers. Creighton transfer Kyla Booker brings two years of experience and scored two goals last season for the Jays.
Iowa State went 9-9-2 last season and 3-4-1 in the Big 12. The Cyclones return six starters and 18 letterwinners. Leading the way is forward Koree Willer, who as a freshman was the team's third-leading scorer with four goals and six assists. Iowa State lost its top two scorers in Emily Goldstein and Jennifer Dominguez. The duo combined for 11 goals and nine assists. ISU's strength might be in the midfield, where they return three starters.
Series History
The teams met for a regular-season match in 2012 at the UNO Soccer Field, with the Cyclones posting a 4-0 victory. That marks the only meeting between the two programs.
Grab Your Season-Ticket Scarves
The UNO women's and men's soccer teams are doing a joint season-long promotion for 2014 where if you buy an official “Omaha Soccer” scarf for $30, you get into every home game as long as you have your scarf with you. Scarves are on sale at the Sapp Fieldhouse ticket office and at each home game. For just $30, you can see $82 worth of Maverick women's and men's soccer games this fall.
Mavs Picked Eighth in Summit Preseason Poll
The Mavs were picked to finish eighth in the Summit League Preseason Poll. The poll is voted on by the league's head coaches. The Mavericks garnered 17 points. UNO returns eight starters and 14 letterwinners from last year's 3-11-2 squad. Denver was selected to repeat as league champions with the maximum 64 points and eight first-place votes. The Pioneers, ranked No. 25 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Preseason Poll, went a perfect 7-0-0 in league play last season and advanced to their second straight NCAA Tournament. South Dakota State received the only other first-place vote - league coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams - and finished second with 55 points. North Dakota State came in third with 48 points, while Oral Roberts was fourth with 42 points. Western Illinois (34), Fort Wayne (31) and IUPUI (19) came in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. UNO's 17 points edged out South Dakota's 14 points to round out the poll.
Last Season of Transition
The 2014 season marks the final one that the Mavs will be unable to compete in the Summit League Championship and NCAA Tournament. As part of its transition to Division I, the Mavs had to sit out postseason play from 2011-12 to 2014-15. The top four teams in the league standings qualify for the Summit League Championship.
FIFA Awards UNO Soccer Pitch Prestigious Rating
The new University of Nebraska Omaha soccer pitch at Caniglia Field, installed by Hellas Construction, has received the prestigious FIFA Recommended 2-Star certification, the highest synthetic turf rating from FIFA, the international governing body of soccer. The Maverick soccer programs are now the only NCAA Division I teams that can call a FIFA 2-Star field their home, distinguishing Caniglia Field as the elite synthetic turf in Division I soccer. Only four synthetic turf fields in the U.S. currently hold the FIFA Recommended 2-Star certification, which lasts for one year but is eligible for a new test each year. Joining Al F. Caniglia Field among that elite group are CenturyLink Field (Seattle Sounders), Gillette Stadium (New England Revolution) and North Shore United soccer club in Cedarburg, Wis. The rating was issued after a series of tests performed by a FIFA approved testing agent to examine the quality, comfort, safety and performance of the playing surface. Caniglia Field features an infill that enhances stability, reduces the field temperature and creates more natural playing characteristics to help decrease the risk of injuries.
Players Mentioned
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GK
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F
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MF
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MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
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D
/ Women's SoccerWednesday, August 26
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
