Kent State University
Arizona
Flashes Set to Take on Wildcats in Arizona
8/30/2023 5:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State women's soccer team is all set to square off with Arizona in Tempe on Thursday, Aug. 31. The match will be streamed on Pac-12 Insider.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Flashes (2-1-1) earned their first shutout of the season on Sunday, winning 2-0 on the road at Cleveland State.
Kent State got on the board just six minutes into the first half when Siena Stambolich buried her first goal of the season, curling the ball into the top-right corner from the top of the box. The junior now has six goals in her Kent State career. The Flashes went into the locker room at halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Alanna Raimondo extended the Flashes' advantage in the 53rd minute. Josie Morgan took a shot at goal from the left side of the box but the Vikings' keeper got in front of it. She was unable to corral it, however, and it fell to Raimondo, who found the netting for the first goal of her collegiate career.
Cleveland State was only able to generate nine shots thanks to the stifling effort from the back line, and Sarah Melén saved the three that were on goal.
GREAT GOALKEEPING
Sarah Melén was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday following two stellar games in goal for the Flashes. Melén had her strongest game in goal for the Flashes so far this season last Thursday night against Pitt. She faced a staggering 25 shots from the lighting-fast Pitt attack but stood tall, tallying a season-high 10 saves. It was the fourth double-digit save performance of her career. Against Cleveland State on Sunday, Melén earned her first shutout victory of the season, making three stops in a 2-0 Flashes win. Melén now sits four saves short of 200 for her career.
FRESHMAN ON FIRE
Josie Morgan has had a red-hot start to her career, scoring two goals in her first two collegiate games. Just 23 minutes into her Flashes debut, Morgan netted the first goal of the season for Kent State, taking a picturesque pass from Callie Cunningham and firing a strike past the Oakland keeper. Three days later, making her first start at Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium, Morgan scored her second of the season after Alisa Arthur drew in three Colgate defenders and found the wide-open freshman. Against Cleveland State on Sunday, Morgan tallied her first collegiate assist as the Flashes won 2-0.
Morgan leads the Flashes in goals and points (5) through four games this season.
SCOUTING ARIZONA
The Wildcats (1-1-1) were picked to finish six in the Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll and returns 23 members of last year's team. Arizona finished the 2022 season with an 8-7-3 mark, going 5-5-1 in conference play.
Nicole Dallin leads the offensive attack for the Cats, netting three goals in three games so far. Hope Hisey has played all 270 minutes in goal for Arizona, tallying nine saves.
SERIES HISTORY
Thursday marks only the second meeting between the Golden Flashes and Wildcats all-time. Arizona won the first game against the Flashes back in 2003, 3-0.
UP NEXT
The Flashes will square off with the Sun Devils of Arizona State on Sunday, Sept. 3 before returning home to Dix Stadium and will host Duquesne on Sunday, Sept. 10.
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