Familiarity with an opponent is helpful, but not necessarily critical for success. That’s why when the Marquette women’s soccer team (17-3-0) began scouting Toledo (14-6-2) in preparation for its first round NCAA Tournament match this Saturday, the team didn’t want to overdo it.
“I think what we feel most confident about is that if we go out there and we play at our best, that that will be good enough to win the game,” coach Markus Roeders said. “At the end of the day that’s why I don’t think we’re going to overemphasize them.”
Toledo led the Mid-American Conference in points per game (5.77), goals per game (2.00) and assists per game (1.77), and ranked second in shots per game (14.73), fourth in shutouts (9) and fifth in goals against average (1.11). The Rockets also outscored its opponents 44-25 in 22 games.
For the sake of comparison, Marquette ranks first in the Big East in points per game (8.15), assists per game (3.15), goals against average (0.64) and shutouts (12), while ranking third in shots per game (17.85).
Offensively, the Rockets are led by MAC player of the year, sophomore forward Rachel MacLeod, who led the conference in points (31), goals (11) and tied for first in assists (9).
Roeders compared MacLeod to many of the outstanding strikers the team has already faced this year.
“She has some quickness to her. She scores some goals and anyone who can score goals like that is a threat,” Roeders said. “But I don’t think she’s going to be any different than what we’ve seen this year from (Notre Dame senior forward Melissa) Henderson, to (Louisville sophomore forward Christine) Exeter to (Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior forward Sarah) Hagen.
The Golden Eagles have a pretty good offensive player of their own in sophomore forward Maegan Kelly, who ranks second in the Big East in points (38), tied for second in goals (14), and tied for first in game-winning goals (6).
Kelly was named to the First Team All-Big East, joining senior defender Kerry McBride and senior goalkeeper Natalie Kulla as First Team performers.
Two other players to watch on the offensive side of the ball are sophomore forward Nicole Gyurgyik and senior forward Kristin Lynn, who each tallied over 20 points and combined with MacLeod to score 30 of the teams’ 44 goals.
Senior goalkeeper Vicki Traven has eight shutouts on the season and sports a 0.90 goals against average in 21 games, allowing just three goals in the team’s last eight games.
Toledo blistered through its conference season, going 9-1-1 and made quick work of Ohio, Buffalo and Western Michigan in the conference tournament, but struggled against higher-level competition in its nonconference slate, going 2-5-1.
The Rockets’ two nonconference wins came against Niagara and IPFW, earned a draw against Louisville, 1-1, but scored just two goals in its five nonconference losses.
In five games against Illinois, Purdue, TCU, Texas Tech and Iowa State, the Rockets were outscored 12-2.
The Golden Eagles won’t overlook the Rockets, however, knowing this could be their last game of the season.
“We’ve had one practice so far and we’re just trying to make every practice really good, knowing it could be the last of the year,” sophomore defender Katie Hishmeh said.
Sophomore midfielder Kate Reigle agreed, saying she didn’t want the team to step off the field at Valley Fields for the final time, knowing that the season ended in disappointment.
“Our coaches are really emphasizing that these practices could be our last, and none of us want that, so we’re going to play that game as our hardest and like it’s our last,” Reigle said.
