INDIANAPOLIS - Head coach Chris Johnson's women's soccer team will round out its non-conference schedule this week when it hosts Central Michigan on Thursday (Sept. 9), followed by trekking to Western Illinois on Sunday (Sept. 12). 

The Jaguars enter the week at 1-3-1 overall, but riding back-to-back strong defensive efforts on the road at Butler and Dayton. IUPUI yielded just one goal in each contest and senior AP Woodall was a virtual wall in goal, totaling 32 stops during that span to earn #HLWSOC Defensive Player of the Week. Woodall made 19 saves at Butler, the second-most by an IUPUI player in program history, before collecting 13 stops at Dayton. 

Offensively, Elizabeth Bueckers tallied her fifth goal in the season's first five games with an unassisted job at Dayton. She staked IUPUI to a 1-0 lead just before halftime, but the Jags allowed the equalizer early in the second half. However, IUPUI had chances late against the Flyers on good looks from Bueckers and Autumn Weeks, but was unable to push anything else past. 

IUPUI enters the weekend having been outscored by a 10-8 margin on the year and outshot by more than six attempts per game. However, Woodall has been brilliant of late, totaling 38 saves and a .792 save percentage on the year. Offensively, Bueckers has shouldered the load with five goals and an assist and sophomore Sam Slimak has a goal and team-high two assists, despite missing significant action due to injury. Junior Maya Lacognato also has a goal and an assist and ranks second on the team with 10 shot attempts. Ciena Miller has IUPUI's other goal on the year. 

Sophomore Alex Stocker leads a young defensive unit, having played 439 of the team's 473 minutes this season. Weeks is next in line with 409 minutes, followed by Maya Turner (389) and Makenna Collins (386). 

QUOTABLE
"I thought this was a step in the right direction but we aren't quite where we need to be yet. We have two more non-conference games where we need to continue moving in a positive direction so we can start winning some games," head coach Chris Johnson said after the 1-1 draw at Dayton. 

WPSL HONORS
Junior Autumn Weeks was recently honored for her work in the Women's Premier Soccer League over the summer, being named among seven Defensive Players of the Year in the Central Region for her play with the Chicago Red Stars. 
 


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- Makenna Collins, Fr.
D- Grace Moore, Jr.
D- Hannah Roberson, Fr.
D- Alex Stocker, Soph.
D- Maya Turner, Jr.
MF- Elizabeth Bueckers, Sr.
MF- Abbie Schad, Jr.
MF- Leah Shumate, Soph.
MF- Autumn Weeks, Jr.
F- Maya Lacognato, 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 132-162-42 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 CENTRAL MICHIGAN
CMU is 1-3 on the year with losses to Marquette, Michigan State and Michigan and a recent win over Morehead State. The Chippewas have been outscored 6-4 on the year with three of their four goals coming in the season opening loss at Marquette. Four different CMU players have a goal and Jaelyn Dobrowolski has the team's lone assist. In goal, Allison LaPoint has a 1.50 goals against average and 20 saves in her four starts. 

SCOUTING WESTERN ILLINOIS
WIU is 3-2 on the year and is riding a three-game winning streak with victories over Illinois State, Northern Iowa and UIC. The Leathernecks opened the season with back-to-back losses at Nebraska (3-0) and Milwaukee (6-0). Amy Andrews leads the WIU attack with five goals and two assists and tallied four goals in WIU's 4-3 win over Illinois State. Bridget Schuler has added three goals and an assist. In goal, Isabel Navas Rodriguez has a 2.95 goals against average and 35 saves in five appearances. 

ALL-TIME SERIES
IUPUI is 0-3 all-time against CMU. (Series History)
IUPUI is 10-9-1 all-time against WIU and 4-5 in matches played in Macomb. (Series History)

UP NEXT
IUPUI will open Horizon League play on Thursday, Sept. 16 when it treks to Cleveland State for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff.