Soccer takes on three-time defending MAC Tournament champion Miami, third place Ball State this weekend
10/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Head Coach: Rob Marinaro (Clemson 92)
Record at Kent State: 21-22-3 (.489)/third year
Career Record: same
Upcoming Week:
Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 4 p.m.
Miami at Kent State
Sunday, Oct. 12, 2003 1 p.m.
Ball State at Kent State
The Kent State University soccer team (10-1-1, 7-0 MAC) is leading the Mid-American Conference and on a 10-game winning streak as it prepares for a pair of conference matches this weekend. The Golden Flashes will host three-time defending MAC Tournament champion Miami University (4-6-1, 3-4 MAC), Friday, October 10, at 4 p.m., followed by a match Sunday, October 12, against Ball State University (6-4-2, 3-2-1 MAC) at 1 p.m. The RedHawks are currently tied for eighth in the MAC, while Ball State is in third place. The Golden Flashes are coming off a 3-0 week, where they posted wins against Robert Morris University (3-0), Western Michigan University (3-2 OT) and Northern Illinois University (3-0).
KENT STATE RIDING 10-GAME WIN STREAK: The Golden Flashes started the year with a tie and loss at the Arizona Classic. Since then, Kent State has won 10 straight matches, putting together the longest win streak in school history. The previous best was a four-game streak to begin the 1999 campaign. During its 10-game win streak, the Golden Flashes have outscored their opposition 22-4.
SUCCESS ON THE HOME PITCH: The Golden Flashes are undefeated at the KSU Soccer Field this season, winning six straight games. The Golden Flashes have won 12 of their last 15 matches at home. Last season, the Golden Flashes posted a 6-2-1 record at the KSU Soccer Field, picking up each of their wins on the home turf. The Flashes have outscored their opposition 39-14 in the last 15 games at the KSU Soccer Field.
CAMINATI TALLIES FOUR GOALS LAST WEEK: Senior forward Lauren Caminati (Solon, Ohio/Solon) had four goals in three games, leading Kent State to a perfect 3-0 record last week. She upped her season goal total to a team-high seven. She scored in each of KSUs games, including two goals in Fridays overtime victory against Western Michigan. In that win, she tallied the game-tying goal in the 74th minute then recorded the game-winning goal eight minutes into overtime. It was her first game-winning goal of the season.
SEVEN MAC WINS MOST IN SCHOOL HISTORY: Kent States seven MAC wins are the most in school history, bettering the previous mark of five set in 1998, 1999 and 2001. The Golden Flashes have more than twice as many conference victories as last year when they won just three.
HEAD COACH ROB MARINARO: Now in his seventh year with the Kent State soccer program, Rob Marinaro (Clemson 92) is in his third season as head coach with a 21-22-3 career record. Marinaro was an assistant coach in his first four years at Kent State, and has been with the Golden Flashes since the programs inception in 1997. A 1992 graduate of Clemson University, Marinaro was a four-year letterwinner with the Tigers and played on the 1987 national championship team. He also played five seasons in the National Professional Soccer League and one year in the American Professional Soccer League.
SCOUTING MIAMI: The RedHawks come into the week with a 4-6-1 (3-4 MAC) record, most recently having lost to Bowling Green 3-2 last Sunday, as the Falcons rallied from a 2-0 deficit for the win. Miami is led by Ashley Swinehart who has 10 goals and an assist for 21 points on the year. Kathleen Vistica has four goals and four assists for 12 points. Megan Ortner has posted a 3-3 record with a 2.00 goals-against average this season. The RedHawks are coached by Bobby Kramig, who is 80-48-8 in his seventh year at Miami and 93-51-8 in his eighth year overall.
SCOUTING BALL STATE: The Cardinals enter the week with a 6-4-2 (3-2-1 MAC) mark, sitting in third place in the conference standings. Last weekend, Ball State dropped a 2-0 decision against Bowling Green before rallying for a 1-0 win versus Toledo. In the win against the Rockets, Stacy Shull scored in the 56th minute for the games lone goal, her first of the season. The Cardinals are led by Kate Nadalin, who has four goals and two assists on the year for 10 points. Amy Holst has added three goals and three assists. Keeper Megan Swafford is 4-3 in 12 appearances, posting a 0.63 goals-against average. The Cardinals are coached by Ron Rainey, who is 40-43-8 in his fifth year at Ball State and is 60-26-12 in his seventh year overall.
-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE COMPETITION: The RedHawks lead the series with KSU 4-2, including last seasons 2-0 win in Oxford. Kent States series with Ball State is deadlocked, 2-2. The Cardinals evened the series last year with a 1-0 win in Muncie. All-time, Kent State is 30-35-4 (.464) all-time against the Mid-American Conference.
TISTICAL LEADERS: As a team, the Golden Flashes lead the MAC in points (72), goals (23), assists (26), goals-against average (0.64) and shutouts (7). The Flashes are also 17th in the nation with a 0.58 percent shutout percentage and 30th in goals-against average. Kent State ranks eighth in Division I with a .875 winning percentage. Individually, senior forward Lauren Caminati
COVAY NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior forward Lauren Covay (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) was named the MAC Player of the Week for her performance during the week ending Sept. 14. Covay led KSU to a pair of victories to kick off the conference season, scoring two goals, the game-winning tally in each game. She scored the lone goal in the Flashes 1-0 victory against Marshall University (Sept. 12), and notched the games opening goal in a 2-0 win versus Ohio University (Sept. 14). For her career, Covay has 15 goals and five game winners. She was the teams leading scorer in 2002, recording seven goals and three assists.
CAMINATI BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER: Senior forward Lauren Caminati (Solon, Ohio/Solon) scored one goal at the Kent State Soccer Tournament (Sept. 5-6), the 22nd of her career, moving her into the all-time points scoring lead at Kent State. Caminati has 71 points in her four-year career, bettering the previous mark of 55 set by Nicki Downey (1997-2000). Last season Caminati became KSUs all-time leading goal scorer and she is currently second on the career assists list with 17. She also holds or shares a pair of single-match records and two single-season records. This season, Caminati leads Kent State with seven goals and five assists for 19 points.
KENT STATE WINS TOURNAMENT FOR SECOND TIME: The Golden Flashes used a 3-0 victory against Campbell University (Sept. 5) and a 2-1 win versus Elon University (Sept. 6) to claim the championship in the 2003 Kent State Soccer Tournament. It is the second time Kent State has won a tournament in the seven-year history of the program. The Flashes also won the 1999 Kent State Classic, defeating Loyola University-Chicago 2-0 and Northern Arizona University 2-1.
WHOS IN GOAL? A pair of rookies have shared the playing time in goal this season. Alicia Fernandez (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) is 5-1-1 with a 0.49 goals-against average and three shutouts, while Shannon Lynn (Brampton, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas) has posted a 5-0-0 record and a 0.82 goals-against average with three shutouts.
FIVE FLASHES SCORE FIVE GOALS AT KSU SOCCER TOURNAMENT: Kent State spread out its offense in winning the 2003 Kent State Soccer Tournament last weekend. Five different players scored the Golden Flashes five goals in the tournament, and another three players added four assists. Kent State scorers in a 3-0 win against Campbell University (Sept. 5) were sophomore midfielder Jenn Frey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy), senior forward Lauren Caminati (Solon, Ohio/Solon) and sophomore forward Amanda Messer (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas), while senior forward Lauren Covay (Oswego, Ill./Oswego), the teams leading scorer in 2002, assisted on two goals. In the 2-1 win against Elon University (Sept. 6), senior forward Uma Ramadorai (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro) and sophomore midfielder Wendy Gamble (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) scored, while senior midfielder Kacy McMillan (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and sophomore forward Ashley Bohinc (Chesterland, Ohio/West Geauga) had assists. Gambles goal was the first of her career.
SENIORS LEAD THE WAY IN 2003: Ten Kent State seniors return to the roster in 2003, looking to lead the Golden Flashes back to the MAC Tournament. Of the 10, nine are three-year letterwinners, having led Kent State to a 20-29-3 record over the last three seasons. The 2003 Kent State seniors are Jackie Pecjak, Uma Ramadorai, Nikki Champe, Lauren Covay, Sara Figuly, Sarah Young, Corie Van Korngut, Kacy McMillan, Stacey Rust and Lauren Caminati.
TOP SCORERS ARE BACK: Four of the Golden Flashes five leading scorers from 2002 return in 2003. Along with leading scorer, senior forward Lauren Covay (Oswego, Ill./Oswego), senior forward Lauren Caminati (Solon, Ohio/Solon) returns as well as sophomore forward Ashley Bohinc (Chesterland, Ohio/West Geauga) and sophomore midfielder Jenn Frey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy). Caminati tallied five goals and six assists for 16 points last season, while Bohinc had four goals and two assists for 10 points. Frey recorded three goals and two assists for eight points.
2002 IN REVIEW: The 2002 Kent State soccer squad matched its win total from 2001, going 6-10-2, but could easily have turned half of those losses into wins. How close were the Golden Flashes to finishing at the .500 mark or better? Kent State lost five one-goal games and had three more two-goal losses and a pair of ties. One of the highlights of the 2002 season came off the field as Bethany Sanker was named to the Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team, becoming the first Kent State soccer player to receive the honor. Sanker completed her career second in KSU history with 71 matches played and 17 goals. Lindsey Mitchell capped an outstanding career as the most prolific goalkeeper in Kent State history. She finished as the all-time leader in five statistical categories; matches played in goal (60), minutes played (5,104), saves (362), victories (21) and shutouts (10). She also is second in career save percentage (.780). Last season she was 3-6-2 in 10 starts with a 1.52 goals-against average and 55 saves.
COMING UP NEXT: Kent State hits the road for a pair of crucial MAC matches, at second place Eastern Michigan University, Friday, Oct. 17, and at fifth-place Bowling Green State University, Sunday, Oct. 19.
