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INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team will host Oakland University in a pivotal regular season finale on Friday (Oct. 26) at 2:00 p.m. at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. The Jaguars' will look to secure a spot in the six-team Horizon League Tournament as they enter play tied for fifth in the standings with Detroit Mercy with 10 points. Oakland is just behind both with nine points, tied with UIC. 

The game will be the final home game for seniors Jessica Flores, Braegan Lyon, Becca Spitalniak and Denise Veldman, who were honored ahead of the Detroit Mercy game earlier this season. 

Head coach Chris Johnson's team went on the road and collected a 4-1 win at Green Bay last weekend to keep their postseason hopes alive. Sophomore Valentine Pursey scored a goal and assisted on two more in earning Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors. Freshman Elizabeth Bueckers tallied twice, including the game-winner, and junior Emma Chambers opened the scoring with her second completed penalty kick of the season. Junior goalkeeper Sophia Lipka registered a pair of saves in 77 minutes of action before handing over the gloves to redshirt freshman Emily McGrath. McGrath made her IUPUI debut with two stops in 12-plus minutes of work.

The victory snapped the Jaguars' three game losing skid, all of which had come in league play by identical 1-0 scores. Chambers' PK snapped a scoreless streak of more than 300 minutes without a goal. The opening half of the game was played in a driving storm with the wind squarely at the Jaguars' back. 

For the year, Buckers leads the team in goals (6) and points (14) while sophomore Miranda Ricks is tops on the team with seven assists. Pursey has a team-high 47 shot attempts and three game-winners. Chambers and Flores have also scored multiple goals with two apiece. 

In net, Lipka has a 1.10 goals against average and six shutouts on the year. She ranks among the national leaders with 85 saves and an .810 save percentage. 

HL STANDINGS (as of 10/25/2018):
1. Milwaukee - 8-0 (24 pts.)
2. Cleveland State - 6-1-1 (19 pts.)
t-3. Northern Kentucky - 5-2-1 (16 pts.)
t-3. Wright State - 5-2-1 (16 pts.)
t-5. Detroit Mercy - 3-4-1 (10 pts.)
t-5. IUPUI - 3-4-1 (10 pts.)
t-7. Oakland - 2-3-3 (9 pts.)
t-7. UIC - 3-5 (9 pts.)
t-9. Green Bay - 0-7-1 (1 pt.)
t-9. Youngstown State - 0-7-1 (1 pt.)

QUOTABLE: "I don't think I've ever played in a game where the weather affected the play more than in the first 10 minutes of today's game. Luckily, we had a very intense mentality knowing anything can happen, especially being their Senior Day, as we didn't take anything lightly. My two goals were perfectly setup by (Pursey) with beautiful assists that sent me running down the field. In the conditions, all I had to do was slot it on the ground. It was a great team effort and really showed us that we are still in it this year," Bueckers said after the win at Green Bay. 

MAKING THE GRADE: IUPUI was recognized on Wednesday (Oct. 4) with the United Soccer Coaches 2017-18 College Team Academic Award. To qualify, a team must have a collective GPA of 3.0 or better. IUPUI was one of 192 programs (four in the HL) to be honored on both the men's and women's sides. 

SCOUTING OAKLAND: Oakland checks in at 2-11-3 overall and 2-3-3 in league play. The Golden Grizzlies have relied heavily on a tough defense that has posted a 1.56 goals against average and stopped 69 percent of opponents' shots on the year. Jaimie Leas is OU's top keeper with a 1.41 GAA and .700 save percentage. in 16 appearances. Offensively, six different players have accounted for OU's goals this season while Lauren Bos has a team-high two assists.  

INSIDE THE SERIES: IUPUI is 3-15 all-time against Oakland after dropping last year's meeting, 2-1 in Rochester. Krissy Kirkhoff scored IUPUI's lone goal in that contest in the 80th minute off a Ricks assist.

NEXT UP: Should the Jaguars qualify for the six-team Horizon League Tournament, IUPUI would go on the road on Monday night (Oct. 29) for a quarterfinals match at 7:00 p.m..