CSUN Opens Home Schedule With K-State, Eastern Washington

FULL GAME NOTES

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---After spending the first two weekends on the road to start the season, CSUN Women's Soccer (3-1) will play at Matador Soccer Field for the first time in 2019 this weekend. The Matadors host Kansas State on Friday in their home opener at 5 p.m. before taking on Eastern Washington on Sunday at 1 p.m. CSUN's home opener will be broadcast live on the CSUN Sports Network presented by Dignity Health and is part of a soccer doubleheader with the men's soccer team hosting Utah Valley at 7:30 p.m. The first 200 fans attending Friday's women's match will receive a free Game Day t-shirt.

The Matadors split their two matches in Texas last weekend to move their record to 3-1 on the season, which leads the Big West standings. In program history, the Matadors have started their season with three wins through their first four matches five times (2001, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2015) but in none of those seasons have they played all four matches on the road. CSUN is tied for the Big West Conference lead in shutouts (2) while its second in goals scored (7), shot percentage (.143) and corner kicks (24).

Last Friday, CSUN would fall for the first time this season as No. 16 Texas A&M scored three times in the first half en route to posting a 4-0 victory. The Matadors bounced back two nights later with a 2-1 triumph at Houston behind first-half goals from freshman Kimberly Anderson and sophomore Alexis White. Sophomore Amanda Delgado made her season debut at Texas A&M and finished the weekend with five saves over her two starts.

White continued her hot start with her third goal of the year at Houston. She currently shares the Big West lead in goals with Cal State Fullerton's Maddie Bennett while White sits in second place with six points. White's two game-winning goals on the year also lead the league. Four other Matadors have hit the back of the net this season, which includes juniors Sydney Gilbert and Bethany Fitzsimmons and freshmen Kimberly Anderson and Stephanie Gallardo.

In front of the net, Delgado accumulated 135 minutes on the field last weekend including the full 90 minutes in Houston to earn her first victory of the season. Sophomore Taylor Thames came on in the second half of the match at Texas A&M and collected six saves with one goal allowed. Thames still leads the Big West in goals-against average (0.40), wins (2) and shutouts (2) through week two of competition.

Friday's match against K-State will represent the first meeting between the Matadors and Wildcats in women's soccer. CSUN hosted one Big 12 Conference team last season in Texas Tech, which resulted in a Matador 2-0 loss. The Matadors have two all-time wins over Big 12 Conference teams with their last win coming against Kansas in 2010 (1-0, overtime).

CSUN is 3-1-1 against Eastern Washington in the all-time series. The teams played four times from 1998 to 2003 before facing off in 2017 in Cheney, Wash. The Matadors handed the Eagles a 2-0 defeat in that contest to extend their unbeaten streak in the series to four-straight matches.

A Closer Look at Kansas State
The Wildcats are currently in their fourth season competing in Division I women's soccer. The team is 1-2-1 on the year after splitting two matches in Manhattan, Kan. last week. K-State dropped a 2-1 decision to Arkansas State before collecting its first win of the campaign against South Dakota State by a 2-0 final. The Wildcats finished 4-12-2 last season and 0-9 in the Big 12 Conference. Head coach Mike Dibbini is in his fourth season at the helm of K-State.

Senior Katie Cramer leads the squad with two goals and four points this season while three others have hit the net once. Junior Brookelynn Entz also has a team-high two assists and 25 shots with 10 on goal. A season ago, Cramer and Entz had a team-high two goals. A pair of Wildcat goalkeepers have seen plenty of action in front of the net with senior Emma Malsy sporting two shutouts, seven saves and no goals allowed in 200 minutes.

A Closer Look at Eastern Washington
The Eagles are 2-2-1 this season. EWU opened up its home schedule last week and dropped a 1-0 decision to Mississippi State before playing to a 1-1 draw with Colorado State. In 2018, the Eagles finished 8-8-3 overall and 4-4-1 in the Big Sky Conference. Prior to facing the Matadors, the Eagles will visit CSU Bakersfield on Friday evening. Chad Bodnar is currently in his sixth season as head coach of Eastern Washington.

Junior Sariah Keister has two of the team's four goals to start the year. Senior Saige Lyons, who has an assist in 2019, is the team's top returning goal scorer from a year ago with four goals. Junior Kelsee Winston has seen every minute in net this season as she has 18 saves, a 1.64 goals-against average and one shutout.

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CSUN Opens Home Schedule With K-State, Eastern Washington

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Players Mentioned

Kimberly Anderson

Amanda Delgado

Bethany Fitzsimmons

Stephanie Gallardo

Sydney Gilbert

Taylor Thames

Alexis White