Racers Travel To Florida For Two Matches

Dates (Times): Sept. 5 & 7 (5 p.m. & 1 p.m. EDT)
Opponents: Florida International & Florida Gulf Coast
Sites (Venues): Miami, Fla. (FIU Soccer Stadium) & Fort Myers, Fla. (FCGU Soccer Complex)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 1-2, 0-0 OVC (L1)
FIU Record (Streak): 2-3, 0-0 CUSA (L1)
FGCU Record (Streak): 3-1, 0-0 ASun (W1)
All-Time Series vs. FIU (Streak): MSU leads 1-0 (W1)
All-Time Series vs. FGCU (Streak): MSU leads 1-0 (W1)
MSU Last Match: L 1-5 at Dayton (Aug. 31)
FIU Last Match: L 0-2 vs. Florida Gulf Coast (Sept. 3)
FGCU Last Match: W 2-0 at Florida International (Sept. 3)
MSU Next Match: Sept. 12 at Middle Tennesssee
MSU Next Home: Sept. 19 vs. IUPUI

The Murray State women's soccer team will make a swing through the Sunshine State this weekend when it plays two matches in Florida. On Friday, the Racers will travel to Miami to take on Florida International, followed by a date with Florida gulf Coast in Fort Myers on Sunday.

The Racers split a pair of matches last week with a 2-1 win over Georgia State at home on Friday, followed by a 5-1 loss at Dayton in Sunday. On Friday, Harriet Withers scored a pair of second-half goals less than four minutes apart to rally MSU pass the Panthers, 2-1.

On Sunday, the result was less favorable for the Racers, as Dayton used three first-half goals to propel itself to the win. However, in the second half, Julie Mooney cut the lead to 3-1, with a strike in the 55th minute that was set up by Pavlina Nepokojova. That, though, would be as close as MSU would get, as Dayton added two more goals for the 5-1 win.

The Racers previously made the trip to play Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast in September of 2007. The result was a positive one for the Racers as they left the state of Florida with a 2-1 win over the Panthers and a 3-2 win over the Eagles. Those matches stands as MSU's only meeting with either team.

Florida International is coming off of a 2-0 loss to regional foe Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday and will enter Friday with a 2-3 record. FIU allowed goals in the 7th and 58th minutes, but was unable to score despite outshooting the Eagles, 9-8.

So far this season, all five of the Panthers' matches, despite the victor, have ended in a shutout, with FIU netting a combined four goals. Ashleigh Shim currently leads Florida International with 2 goals, a brace that came against North Florida, while Chelsea Leiva and Johnna Volz have one each. Scarlet Montoya has notched one assist in each FIU win this season, while in addition to her goal, Leiva also has an assist.

Freshman Nevena Stojakovic has spent all 450 minutes between the posts for the Panthers this season and has allowed five goals and eight saves. She currently has a goals against average of 1.00, a save percentage of 61.5 and has recorded to clean sheets.

Florida Gulf Coast is currently 3-1 on the year, with its only loss coming in 1-0 defeat at the hands of USF. So far this season, the Eagles have posted impressive wins over Arizona and Miami and on Wednesday topped local rival FIU, 2-0. Tabby Tindell scored the would-be winner in the 7th minute, and then assisted on Paulina Speckmaier's insurance goal in the 58th minute.

Tindell currently has four of FGCU's six goals on the season, while Speckmaier has the other two. Shannen Wacker currently leads the team with three assists, while Ashley Parks and Tindell each have one.

The goalkeeper of choice for FGCU this season has been Brittany Brown who has allowed just three goals in four complete contests with 21 saves. Her save percentage currently checks in at an impressive 87.5 percent, while she also has one shutout and a goals against average of 0.75.

Live stats will be available for both games with links posted at GoRacers.com.

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Players Mentioned

Julie Mooney

Pavlina Nepokojova

Harriet Withers

Murray State University Athletics

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