DETROIT -- The Wayne State women's soccer team (7-1-2 overall, 3-1-2 GLIAC) will face a pair of the conference's top teams this weekend, beginning with a Friday afternoon home match against Saginaw Valley State. The Warriors will host the Cardinals (8-4 overall, 6-2 GLIAC) on Friday, Oct. 9 at the WSU Soccer Complex with kickoff set for 3 p.m. WSU will then travel to Allendale, Mich., on Sunday, Oct. 11, for a 1 p.m. match-up against Grand Valley State (8-1-2 overall, 6-0-1 GLIAC).
The United Soccer Coaches Association poll week six rankings were released on Oct. 6. Grand Valley State sits at No. 1 in the Midwest region, followed by Wayne State at No. 6 and Saginaw Valley State at No. 10. The full list of rankings can be found
here.
QUOTING COACH STEINARD
"This is a huge weekend for us with two very difficult games. Friday afternoon we are at home against Saginaw, who currently sits in second place in the league, and is historically one of the top programs in the GLIAC. They are very well coached with lots of good players. That game will be a good measuring stick.
"Following Saginaw Valley, we travel to play at Grand Valley State, who has set the standard for women's soccer in the league. They are another squad of talented players and a great coaching staff. We are really excited about this challenge as these are two programs who have set the bar. We are definitely going to find out what we are made of."
LEADING THE WARRIORS
WSU enters the weekend with a 7-1-2 overall record and 3-1-2 mark in GLIAC play. The Warriors are coming off their first loss of the season, a 1-0 setback at Davenport on Oct. 4.
Freshman
Sienna Mroue (Dearborn, Mich.) leads the Warriors offensively with seven goals, two assists and three game-winning goals. Graduate-student
Mairin Wessner (Northville, Mich. [Dayton]) ranks second on the team with five goals.
In goal, redshirt-sophomore
Kate Helfen (Troy, Mich. [Cincinnati]) has appeared in nine matches, allowing seven goals while making 25 saves.
The defensive effort for the green and gold has been led by freshman
Maya Bjedov (Brighton, Mich.) and redshirt-senior
Reagan Brengman (Harrison Township, Mich. / Warren Regina [Northwood]), who leads all field players in minutes played. Bjedov has logged 793 minutes, while Brengman has recorded 781 minutes, helping anchor a defensive unit that has been a key factor in the Warriors' success this season.
SCOUTING SAGINAW VALLEY STATE
Saginaw Valley State enters Friday's match-up with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in GLIAC play. The Cardinals are coming off a 3-2 victory at Purdue Northwest on Oct. 4.
A trio of forwards leads the Cardinals' offensive attack, with sophomore Abby Ellis, freshman Melanie Kolnitys and senior Kylie Cesarek combining for 13 goals. Ellis leads the group with five goals, while Kolnitys and Cesarek have four apiece.
Fifth-year goalkeeper Ava Wilberding has started all 12 matches for SVSU, recording 42 saves while allowing 13 goals.
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Grand Valley State enters the weekend atop the GLIAC standings with an 8-1-2 overall record and a 6-0-1 conference mark. The Lakers are coming off a 6-0 victory over Roosevelt on Oct. 4.
Junior Vesna Dennison leads the Lakers offensively with six goals and three assists, while sophomore Ava Kozak has added four goals and four assists. Senior Sonya Mehta has contributed four goals and three assists.
Sophomore goalkeeper Macie Hunter is coming off back-to-back shutouts against Davenport and Roosevelt. Hunter has recorded 23 saves this season, while allowing just five goals.
UP NEXT
Following this weekend's action, the Warriors will hit the road for a pair of GLIAC matches. WSU will play at Parkside on Friday, Oct. 16, before traveling to Roosevelt on Sunday, Oct. 18.
