INDIANAPOLIS - Five of IUPUI's fall sports are slated to hit the playing fields this weekend, including men's and women's soccer, volleyball and the season debut of cross country and women's tennis.
The IUPUI women's soccer team (1-0-1), off to its best start in the program's eight-year history, will look to improve on its unblemished record as it concludes a four-game home stand against the University of Akron (2-0-0) and Cleveland State University (1-1-0) at Kuntz Stadium this weekend. Game time for the Akron match is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Friday, while the Cleveland State match is slated for 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
The Jags men's soccer team (2-1-0), winners of two straight, will look to make it three in a row in its annual showdown with Marian College (1-0-0) Friday night at Kuntz Stadium. The Jags blanked the Knights 3-0 in each of the last two seasons. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. following the women's match with Akron.
Meanwhile, coming off a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to Evansville on Thursday night, the IUPUI volleyball team (1-3) heads to Kalamazoo to take part in the four-team Western Michigan Clarion Classic. The Jags will take on host Western Michigan on Friday night, before wrapping up against Northwestern and Charleston Southern on Saturday.
The cross country team opens it's eight-meet schedule on Saturday at the Dayton Flyer 5K Challenge at Indian Riffle Park. Head coach Scott Williams' teams are both primed for success this season.
On the men's side, junior Brad Wheeler holds school records in the 8K and 10K, and is a two-time First Team All Mid-Con performer. Add in senior Brandon Cole, who also has two All-Conference finishes, and newcomer Colin Riessen, a senior transfer from Iona, and the Jags have the makings of a possible conference title team.
The women's team returns juniors Jenny Braun and Amanda Shike from a year ago and added seven new in-state runners to the mix. Freshman Liz Pochop helped Valparaiso to the IHSAA State Championship as a junior in high school, while Jennie Jamicich was a four-time All-Sectional and three-time All-Regional performer.
Saturday's meet at Dayton is slated to begin at 10:45 a.m..
Head coach Andrea Lord's women's tennis team will also hit the hardcourts this weekend, hosting DePauw at noon and the University of Indianapolis at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Indianapolis Tennis Center.
The dynamite duo of senior Jessie Ritchie and Allison Thompson return after earning Second Team All Mid-Con accolades a year ago. The lineup received a shot in the arm when Thompson's older sister, Jessica Petersson transferred from Ball State for her senior season. She was a First Team All-MAC honoree last season after going 20-14 at No. 1 singles.
