MORGANTOWN -
The No. 21-ranked West Virginia women's soccer team takes to the road for a pair of BIG EAST Conference matches this weekend. The Mountaineers travel to Georgetown on Friday, Sept. 30 for a 3 p.m. contest at North Kehoe Field. WVU closes out the weekend with a 1 p.m. match on Sunday, Oct. 2, against Villanova at West Campus Complex.
The Mountaineers are riding a six match win streak, and are coming off a 1-0 overtime win over visiting Rutgers on Sept. 25. All-BIG EAST midfielder Bri Rodriguez netted the game-winner in the 93rd minute to put West Virginia's overall record at 8-3-0, 4-0-0 in league play.
"We have put last weekend behind us and are focused on preparing for two tough conference road matches," says coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. "Both teams have some of the top talent in the league and we'll need our best efforts to come away with winning results."
WVU is 12-3-0 all-time against Georgetown, including a 6-2-0 mark on the road. In the last meeting, the Mountaineers scored a 3-0 shutout last year in Morgantown. All 15 meetings have come in the regular season with WVU winning five of the last six contests.
Georgetown is led by eighth-year coach Dave Nolan, who led the 2010 Hoyas to an Elite Eight appearance. The Hoyas were picked to finish second in the National Division in the BIG EAST preseason coaches poll.
Senior midfielders Kelly D'Ambrisi and All-American Ingrid Wells were named to the Preseason all-BIG EAST squad for the second-straight season. Wells leads the team with 16 points on six goals and four assists, while forward Samantha Baker has notched four goals and five assists for 13 points. In goal, GU's Elizabeth Hanna has a 6-2-0 record in 11 starts, allowing 11 goals and making 37 saves.
The Hoyas have yet to be shutout in 12 matches this season, including a contest at then-No. 2 ranked Stanford.
The Mountaineers are 9-4-5 all-time against the Wildcats, including a 3-2-3 mark on the road. Last season, WVU posted a 4-3 come-from-behind win in Morgantown in its last meeting. The teams have played every season since WVU joined the league in 1996. WVU is 6-0-1 in the last seven contests against Villanova.
Villanova is led by fourth-year coach John Byford, who returns eight starters from last season. The Wildcats were picked to finish fifth in the National Division in the BIG EAST preseason coaches poll.
Senior forward Katie Ryan was named to the Preseason all-BIG EAST squad for the second-straight season. Ryan and junior Heidi Sabatura form a dangerous forward combo as the two combine for nine goals and six assists this season. Taylor Houck is the lone returning back line starter and goalkeeper Jami Kranich has played every minute of Nova's 12 matches this season, allowing 19 goals to go with 42 saves.
Villanova plays host to Pitt on Friday, Sept. 30, before taking on West Virginia.
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