CLEVELAND, Ohio - The IUPUI women's soccer team will open Horizon League play this week with a road trip to Cleveland State on Thursday (Sept. 16), followed by a home match against Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday (Sept. 19). IUPUI will honor its senior class of Renae Blevins, Elizabeth Bueckers, Emily McGrath and AP Woodall following Sunday's contest. 

IUPUI (1-5-1) enters the week trying to snap a five-game winless streak after dropping back-to-back matches to Central Michigan and Western Illinois last week. The Jags dropped a double overtime heartbreaker to CMU at home last Thursday as the Chippewas broke a scoreless tie in the 104th minute, sneaking a shot past Woodall. On Sunday, IUPUI got an early goal from Maya Lacognato off an assist from Woodall, but ultimately fell to the Leathernecks, 4-1. 

After tallying seven goals in the season's first two games, IUPUI has been held to just two scores during the recent five-game winless stretch. Defensively, IUPUI had been exceptional of late prior to yielding four goals at WIU. Woodall had three straight matches of double-digit saves, including a career-high 19 stops at Butler on Sept. 2. 

Bueckers continues to lead the IUPUI attack with five goals and a team-high 18 shot attempts while Lacognato has two goals and an assist. Sophomore Sam Slimak has a goal and two assists, but has been limited to just two games due to injury. 

Sophomore back Alex Stocker continues to lead IUPUI with 596 minutes played while junior midfielder Autumn Weeks has played 579 minutes. True freshman Makenna Collins is next in line with 564 minutes, having started all seven matches on the back line. 

PRESEASON POLLS
IUPUI was picked to finish fifth in the league according to the preseason poll released on Aug. 18: Read More

PROBABLE XI (based on the last outing)
GK- AP Woodall, Sr.
D- Alex Bond, Jr.
D- Makenna Collins, Fr.
D- Grace Moore, Jr.
D- Alex Stocker, Soph.
MF- Elizabeth Bueckers, Sr.
MF- Abbie Schad, Jr.
MF- Leah Shumate, Soph.
MF- Autumn Weeks, Jr.
F- Maya Lacognato, Jr.
F- Alex Ludolph, Jr.

FIRSTS
Two IUPUI players have tallied their first collegiate goals this season in junior Ciena Miller and sophomore Sam Slimak. Both came against Marian as Miller tallied in her tenth career appearance and Slimak scored in her sixth career game. 

HEAD COACH CHRIS JOHNSON
Johnson is now in his 19th season on the IUPUI sidelines and owns a 132-164-42 mark with the Jaguars. He spent his first nine years of his coaching career at the University of Indianapolis where he amassed an 81-79-2 mark. All total, Johnson has 213 collegiate wins to his credit.  

SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
Cleveland State is 1-5-1 on the year with the lone win being a 4-2 victory over Canisius on Aug. 22. Junior forward Maddie Young leads the CSU attack with a goal and an assist on the year and freshman Kyla Valaitis has played the majority of the minutes in net with a 1.55 goals against average and 13 saves in her three starts. 

SCOUTING PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Purdue Fort Wayne is 1-2-4 on the year entering this week with a win over Morehead State. The Mastodons have been outscored 12-7 this season and Mackenzie Evans leads the 'Dons with a pair of scores, including a game-winner. Kelsey Gallagher has a team-high three assists from her forward spot. Samantha Castaneda has been strong in goal with a 1.54 goals against average and 45 saves in her seven starts. 

ALL-TIME SERIES
IUPUI is 6-4-1 all-time against Cleveland State and has won the past two meetings. The Jags are just 1-3 in games played in Cleveland. (Series History)
IUPUI is 6-7-4 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne and hasn't lost in the series since 2012, going 3-0-3 since. IUPUI is 3-3-2 in the eight matches played in Fort Wayne. (Series History)

UP NEXT
IUPUI will host Northern Kentucky on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in a contest that will be broadcast on ESPN+.