vs. Bellarmine (Aug. 25 - 7pm): Live Video I Live Stats I Game Notes
vs. Western Illinois (Aug. 28 - 1pm): Live Stats I Game Notes

INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team will host a pair of home matches this week, looking to build on the program's 2-0 start to the 2022 season. The Jaguars will host Bellarmine on Thursday night (Aug. 25) at 7:00 p.m. to cap a men's and women's doubleheader at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. That match will be free of charge and will be broadcast on ESPN+ as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) describes the action. Head coach Chris Johnson's Jaguars will close the week with a non-conference matchup with Western Illinois at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 28) at Carroll Stadium. 

The Jaguars opened the year with back-to-back road wins, capturing wins at Tennessee Tech (1-0) and at reigning OVC champion SIUE (3-2) on Sunday. Junior Emma Antoine tallied a late winner at TTU while Ashton Kudlo dialed up her second career shutout in that victory. Redshirt sophomore midfielder Emma Manolovic was credited with her first career assist, playing Antoine in behind the defense before the Carmel-native drove a shot home for her first career score. Three days later, IUPUI rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to overtake SIUE. The Jaguars scored three goals in quick fashion in the second half as senior Maya Lacognato sandwiched a pair of scores around Emma Frey's first career strike. 

Frey and Sam Slimak assisted on Lacognato's first tally while Sarah Henson setup Frey's blast from distance. Lacognato finished the day's scoring with an unassisted tally in the 61st minute and she was later awarded #HLWSOC Nike Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts. 

With the win, IUPUI opened the season with a 2-0 record for the first-time ever in program history. It also gave IUPUI a second road victory this season after having achieved just one road win all of last season. 

Here are some more tidbits from the season's opening week: 

Hot Starts:  IUPUI is amidst a 2-0 start to a season for the first time in program history. The Jaguars started the COVID riddled 2020 campaign (actually played in Winter 2021) with a 4-0-1 mark, but began that campaign with a win over Cleveland State (1-0) and a scoreless draw at Detroit Mercy, before winning its next three matches.

Oh, Maya: Senior forward Maya Lacognato was recently named the #HLWSOC Nike Offensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season after scoring twice in the come-from-behind 3-2 win at reigning OVC champion SIUE on Sunday (Aug. 21). IUPUI trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but got goals from freshman Emma Frey and Locagnato in the 56th and 61st minutes, respectively. It was Lacognato's 10th and 11th career scores and her fifth career game-winner. It was her second career multi-goal game and first since her freshman year.

Firsts and Foremost: Two IUPUI players have tallied their first career goals this season as junior Emma Antoine tallied a late winner in the opener at Tennessee Tech (Aug. 18) and Frey netted a score in her second career game at SIUE (Aug. 21). Frey also contributed an assist in the win at SIUE.

Fresh Faces: Head coach Chris Johnson introduced six newcomers to the program this season and the four field players - Emma Frey, Sarah Henson, Kailyn Smith, Sophia White - have all been major contributors thus far. All four have started at least one time and Frey (1 goal, 1 assist) and Henson (1 assist) have contributed to the attack. Smith, a defensive midfielder, is tied for third among the team's field players in minutes played (132) while White, a defender, has played 122 minutes on the back line.

20 and Counting: Head coach Chris Johnson enters his 20th season on the IUPUI sidelines as the program's all-time leader in wins (137). He's one of just two coaches in the history of the program, having taken over prior to the 2003 season, coming from nearby University of Indianapolis. Johnson, an Indianapolis-native, has piloted IUPUI to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2009 and 2017) and five double-digit win seasons.

12 on ESPN: IUPUI is slated for 12 games on ESPN networks this season with 11 earmarked for ESPN+ and an additional slated for ESPN3. Should IUPUI make the Horizon League Tournament, those contest(s) would also be on ESPN networks.