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INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team will open Summit League play against in-state foe Fort Wayne on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 4), kicking off against the Mastodons at 1:00 p.m. at Michael A. Carroll Stadium. Admission is free and open to the public while standard university parking rates may apply.

IUPUI comes in on a three-game winning streak and recently finishes the 10-game non-conference slate above .500. During the three-game winning streak, the Jaguars have outscored Marian, Murray State and Indiana State by a combined 9-2 margin.

Last week's win at Indiana State snapped a five-game winless streak against the Sycamores.

JAGS GET OFFENSIVE
IUPUI's three-game winning streak has seen a spike in the offensive output and the defense prove to be stingier at the end of the non-conference schedule. Sophomore Krissy Kirkhoff and junior Tori Minnich have fueled the attack, combining on six goals and four assists during the streak. Both Minnich and Kirkhoff have scored a goal each in the past three games, while Kirkhoff has assists in three of IUPUI's last four games.

Sophomore Haley Shelton has also gotten in on the act, providing assists in the wins over Marian and Indiana State. 

CLEAN SHEET
Not to be overshadowed by the attack, the IUPUI defense has been strong the past three games, allowing just two goals total. Sophomore goalie Catherine Schmidt has recorded eight saves and a 0.71 goals against average in the three wins, improving her record to 5-3-1 on the season.

MINNICH HONORED
Junior forward Tori Minnich earned her third career Summit League Offensive Player of the Week Award earlier this week after tallying the game-winner at Indiana State last Friday. It's the second time this season Minnich has claimed the league's weekly honor and the third time an IUPUI attacker has been honored this season. 

FIRST TIMERS
Freshman Becca Spitalniak became the most recent player to net her first career goal this season, tallying the game-winner at Marian on Sept. 18. She becomes the fourth Jaguar to score her first career goal this season, joining sophomores Leia Peterman and Beth Parks and senior Lauren Kulaga.

GETTING HEALTHIER
Head Coach Chris Johnson's squad is slowly adding healthy pieces with the recent returns of Catherine Raster and Alyssa Fox from injury. More recently, freshman Maryna Clark made her collegiate debut, coming off the bench in the past three matches.

ACADEMIC HONORS
For the seventh straight year, the IUPUI women's soccer team earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award on Sept. 23. Teams with a 3.0 GPA or greater are recognized nationally for their achievements.  

QUOTABLE
"This group of girls has a chance to do something really special as long as we don't take anything for granted and continue to work hard everyday," Head Coach Chris Johnson said after the ISU win.  

NEWBIES
Nine different players have made their IUPUI debuts this season, with a combination of two Division-I transfers, two redshirt freshman and five true freshmen. Of the newcomers, true freshman Braegan Lyon leads the group in minutes played (423), followed by Purdue-transfer Brea'Anna Sanders (411) and Jessica Flores (381). The group has combined to make 12 starts, paced by four each from Flores and Lyon.

NUMBERS
-Senior Lauren Kulaga has made 68 career starts and is well on her way to becoming the sixth player in school history to earn 70 career starts.
-Kirkhoff's six assists this season are already tied for the program's single-season record in that category. Her next helper will give her the record by herself. 
-Senior Kalli Shepler-Tucker enters play with 14 career assists, one shy of tying Sheri Levack for the program's all-time lead in that category.
-Minnich is the team's active career leader in goals (17) and points (39) while Kirkhoff is second in both 15 and 37. 
-IUPUI has seven players that have started all 10 matches so far this season, but have had 17 players start at least one match. Spitalniak earned her first career start at Indiana State last weekend.
-Maddie Riedford leads the team's field players in minutes played with 721, followed closely by Kulaga (702) and Grace Perkowitz (684).

AMONG THE LEADERS
Below is a look at where IUPUI players rank in The Summit League statistical leaders entering the weekend:
Goals: Kirkhoff (t-2nd / 6), Minnich (t-2nd / 6)
Assists: Kirkhoff (1st / 6), Shelton (t-3rd / 4)
Points: Kirkhoff (t-1st / 18), Minnich (3rd / 14) 
Shots: Kirkhoff (1st / 42), Minnich (t-7th / 21)
Game-Winners: Minnich (1st / 3), Perkowitz (t-3rd / 1), Spitalniak (t-3rd / 1)
Saves: Schmidt (4th / 48)
Save Percentage: Schmidt (2nd / .828)
Goals Against Average: Schmidt (3rd / 1.18)
Wins: Schmidt (t-1st / 5)
Shutouts: Schmidt (t-2nd / 2)

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
IUPUI is 5-4-1 on the season and 2-2-1 at Carroll Stadium. Kirkhoff (6 goals, 6 assists) and Minnich (6 goals, 2 assists) have proven to become a formidable 1-2 punch, but eight different players have scored at least one goal and 13 have at least one point. IUPUI is outscoring opponents 18-13 for the year, despite being outshot by four shots per game. Defensively, IUPUI has a team goals against average of 1.27, keyed by Schmidt. Schmidt has a 1.18 GAA and 48 saves in nine starts in net. 

SCOUTING THE 'DONS
Indiana State is 2-8-1 overall on the season and 1-6-1 on the road. Rachel Good leads the IPFW offense with a goal and five assists while five Mastodons are tied with a team-high two goals. Paityn Fleming has three assists as she and Good have combined on eight of the team's 12 helpers.

Defensively, Kiley Dunning has played the bulk of the minutes in goal, amassing a 2.05 goals against average and 70 saves in her 11 appearances. As a team, IPFW has a 2.32 GAA and 78 saves in 11 matches. The 'Dons will open a two-game weekend at Western Illinois on Friday (Oct. 2).

SERIES RECORDS
IUPUI is 4-7-2 all-time against IPFW, but won last year's meeting 3-1 in Fort Wayne. IUPUI is 2-4-1 in the previous seven meetings in Indianapolis. Last year's win snapped a four-game winless streak against the 'Dons as IPFW won three straight from 2010-12 and the two sides played to a 2-2 draw in 2013.

UP NEXT
IUPUI will continue Summit League play on the road to face Omaha next Friday (Oct. 9) night at 7:00 p.m..