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Late Goal Proves To Be Too Much For Soccer In 2-1 Loss to Valpo
Saturday, October 4 2008

Valparaiso, Ind. -- Natalie Brady put the YSU soccer team up 1-0 with her goal at just 5:52 into the game. Laura Murphy then tied the game just before the half.

Goalkeeper Mariah Snyder collected 10 saves for the Guins before Jackie Thomas headed in a goal in the final two minutes of action. The score gave the Crusaders the 2-1 advantage and its first Horizon League win of the season.

YSU offense was ignited early as Brady took YSU's first shot that was blocked just minutes into the game. Brady quickly regained possession of the ball to fire a shot that would mark her first goal of the season and put the first points of the game on the board.

Lauren Brennan attempted to give YSU the lead with her shot that was saved by Mele Cabral. Kelsey Kempton also took a shot for the Guins that was saved before the half.

With under three minutes remaining in the first half, Murphy made a shot from 15 yards out to put the Crusaders back in the game before the break.

YSU stopped all four of Valpo's shots on goal in the second half and had hopes of entering overtime until 88:42 into the game. Thomas headed in a shot from 5 yards out off a free kick that proved to be the game winning shot.

YSU will travel to IPFW to face the Mastodons on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

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Snyder's 16 Saves Not Enough in 3-0 Loss to Butler
Wednesday, October 1 2008

Indianapolis, Ind. -- Goalkeeper Mariah Snyder collected 16 saves against Butler and helped to keep the game scoreless until the 62 minute mark. Butler's Abbie Kaul then headed in two more goals within fives minutes of each other to give the Bulldogs the 3-0 lead and the win.

Snyder stopped seven shots in the first half as the two teams entered halftime scoreless.

Butler then took advantage of three scoring opportunities within nine minutes of each other. Molly Kruger put her team's first point on the board with her goal off a cross from 10 yards out at 62:14. Kaul's two headers helped secure the shutout.

YSU's defense held Butler for the remaining 19 minutes of the game to finish with the 3-0 loss.

Jordan Gapczynski and Lauren Brennan took the Penguins only two shots.

YSU will play next at Valparasio on Friday at 4 p.m.

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Soccer Claims 4-0 Victory over Howard
Tuesday, September 23 2008

Washington, D.C. -- The YSU soccer team scored four goals against Howard to pick up its second shutout in a row. Carrie Wack scored first for the Guins while Jordan Gapczynski's two goals late in the second half added to the lead. Jodi Bowlen's goal in the final three minutes of play gave YSU the 4-0 win and helped the team improve to an overall record of 2-6.

Wack's third goal of the season came at 32:55 into the game to put YSU up 1-0. Wack managed to get by two defenders and beat Howard's goalkeeper to put her team on the board before halftime.

YSU tied Howard with six shot in the first half, but the Guins offense took over to outshoot the Bison 9-4 in the second half.

The final 13 minutes allowed Gapczynski and Bowlen to capitalize on three key scoring opportunities.

Gapczynski fired her free kick from 25 yards out at 77:04 to put YSU up 2-0. Just six minutes later Alex Lee and Bowlen helped set up Gapzynski's second goal of the afternoon from five yards away from net.

Lee made her second assist of the game with a pass to Jodi Bowlen from 20 yards out which proved to be the final goal in the Penguins second win of the season.

Mariah Snyder stopped all seven of the Howard's scoring attempts and now ties Bridget Frank for the second most shutouts in school history with two for the season.

The Penguins will open Horizon League play on Friday at home at 4 p.m. against Detroit.

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Soccer Battles Duquesne to 2-1 Loss in OT
Friday, September 12 2008

Pittsburgh, Pa. -- Brittny Humphrey's goal helped tie the game and advance the YSU soccer team into overtime against Duquesne. The Dukes quickly gained possession in overtime as Kelly Shank scored the game winning goal 34 seconds later in the Guins 2-1 loss on Thursday evening.

Duquesne got on the board early as YSU scored its own goal at 2:34 into the match. The Penguins stopped the Dukes other three scoring attempts and maintained possession of the ball setting up Humphrey's first goal of the season.

Humphrey fired a shot off the post but Jordan Gapczynski and Lauren Brennan kept the ball in scoring position allowing Humphrey to tie up the match with her second attempt just seconds later.
The Guins entered the second half with a tied game and worked for the remainder of the contest to kept Duquesne out YSU territory. Mariah Synder stopped a final attempt by the Dukes in the last four minutes as the two teams entered overtime.

Duquesne took charge of the ball and capitalized on the first scoring opportunity of OT winning the game 2-1.

The Penguins finished the game with a total of 15 shots and Snyder collected nine saves.

YSU will play next at home against Akron on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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Wack's Goal Not Enough in 2-1 Loss to Albany
Saturday, September 6 2008

Albany, N.Y. -- Senior Carrie Wack put the Penguins on the board against Albany while four other members of the team made shots on goal in attempts to take the lead. The Penguins took a total eight shots on goal, but came up short in the 2-1 loss to Albany on Friday evening.

YSU started attacking the net early with Jodi Bowlen's shot at just 47 seconds into play. Natalie Brady and Wack each took shots as well for the Guins before Albany scored the first goal of the evening. Ashley Tirabassi fired the shot from six yards out on the left corner to put the Great Danes up 1-0 at the half

Brittny Humphrey and Lauren Brennan both attempted shots early in the second half while Mariah Snyder collected two more saves. Teresa Boring then knocked in a header goal from the six yard line that would put Albany up 2-0.

The Guins continued to fire shots in hopes of narrowing the scoring deficient. Wack's shot on a fast break down the field at the 79 minute mark helped to bring the Guins within one goal of Albany.

YSU held the Great Danes for the remainder the game, but could not tie match in the final 11 minutes. With the win, Albany improves to 2-2, while YSU falls to 0-3.

The Penguins will be back in action on the road on Sunday at 11 a.m. to take on Siena.

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Soccer Drops 2-0 Decision to Robert Morris
Friday, August 29 2008

Moon Township, Pa. -- The YSU soccer team outshot Robert Morris 15-13, but could not connect with the net on Thursday evening in the 2-0 loss to the Colonials.

Freshman Kelly Storkel took the first shot of the game but, RMU goalkeeper Caitlin Dial saved the Guins initial scoring attempt. The Colonials gained possession of the ball less than two minutes later to score the first goal of the night.
Holly Sieradzki was credited with the goal while Rachel Sebbens made the assist. Lauren Brennan took two more shots on goal in attempts to tie the game before the half. Both shots were stopped by Dial.

Brenda Sasu then scored a header shot for the Colonials at the 42-minute mark that would give her team the 2-0 advantage over the Guins.

In the first half, YSU outnumbered Robert Morris 8-6 in shots and tied with seven in the second half.

Brennan led the team with four shots and goalkeepr Mariah Snyder collected nine saves

The Penguins will return to action on Sept. 5 against Albany on the road. Game time is set for 4 p.m.

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Kent State Slips Past Soccer 1-0 in Season Opener
Monday, August 25 2008

Youngstown -- The YSU soccer team opened the 2008 season at home against Kent State on Sunday afternoon. The Penguins held the Golden Flashes scoreless for 79 minutes of play before Kelly Heaton scored the goal that would decide the winner of the contest.

Freshman Kelsey Kempton attempted YSU's first scoring opportunity of the game, but had her shot blocked by Kent State's defense.

Kate Bonn fired a shot on goal early in the second half in hopes of putting the Guins on the board, but her attempt was was saved by goalkeeper Kris Nelson.

Jodi Bowlen took her first shot of the season late in the second half that was just wide of the net.

Kent State answered back just four minutes later with a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Mariah Snyder. However, Heaton quickly regained control of the ball and took a shot that slipped past Snyder to give Kent State the 1-0 advantage.

The Penguins continued to battle with the Flashes until the end of the match. Sophomore Rebecca Thomas made the last attempted to tie the score before closing out the second half.

In her second career start as goalkeeper, Snyder collected a total of seven saves and the team blocked two of Kent State's shots. YSU's defense also only allowed the Flashes to take a mere three shots in the second half.

The team will play next on the road against Robert Morris. Game time is set for 5 p.m. on Thursday.

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Penguins Add Two More Recruits to 2008 Team
Tuesday, May 13 2008

Youngstown -- Head soccer coach Anthony James announced that midfielder Dominique Ward (Shadyside, Pa.) and goalkeeper Nicole Kline (Davie, Fla.) have signed National Letters of Intent to play for Youngstown State this fall.

Ward began her soccer career at the age of seven with the Pittsburgh Dynamo team. She went on to play with PFC, IFC, Western PA Olympic Development Program and Penn's Forest.

Ward was a four-year letterwinner at Taylor Allderdice High and was one of the team's top scorers. She was also a three-time All-Section selection under her coach Chris Edmonds and was the leading goal score in the City League in 2006. Ward is currently a member of the Penn's Forest U18 Los Lobos team.

James described Ward as a midfield who is known for her goal scoring abilities.
"Dominique is a tenacious hard working player who comes to play all the time. She is a very good one-on-one defender as well. I expect her to compete for one of the starting defensive midfield positions," said James.

Ward said she chose YSU because she felt that it was the best fit for her.

"I love the coaches, the team and the school," added Ward.

Kline is a 5-foot-9 four-year varsity goalkeeper from Western High School. She was selected to the All-Broward Conference team and was named team MVP and captain. In her freshman year, Kline played a pivotal role in her team being named the 2005 5A/6A District Champions and Regional Finalist. Kline is a current member of the Sunrise Flames FC U-17 soccer team.

"Nicole is extremely athletic," James said. "This allows her to catch balls that many other goalkeepers would miss."

James also sees a great deal of potential in Kline.

"Even though Nicole is still growing and developing as a player, she has the ability to step in and start right away for us in the fall," he added.
Kline said the coaches were one of the main reasons she signed with YSU

"I choose YSU because Coach James and Coach Greg showed me that their program would be the best fit for me. YSU offered everything I was looking for in a school both athletically and academically," explained Kline.

"After meeting and talking with both coaches, I believed that I would enjoy playing for coaches that had such a passion for the game and really believed in my potential.”

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Penguins Sign Four Recruits to 2008 Team
Wednesday, February 20 2008

Youngstown -- Strikers Kara Cooper (Youngstown) and Geneva Strelka (Strongsville, Ohio) and midfielders Kelsey Kempton (Strongsville, Ohio) and Jessica McMurry (Ambridge, Pa.) have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and soccer careers at Youngstown State, Head Coach Anthony James announced today.

Cooper was a four-time MVP at Youngstown Christian High School and holds all the school's scoring records. She is also a two-time all-conference player. In her senior year Cooper was voted to the Ohio All-State team and was chosen as the WYTV's Student Athlete of the Week. During her four years at Youngstown Christian Cooper compiled at total of 139 goals.

James describes Cooper as a a player with a strong work ethic both on and off the field

"She is a proven goal scorer and is well known for her ability to strike the ball with tremendous pace. Kara will run through a wall to score goals," said James. "I expect her to step in and challenge for a starting position right away."

Cooper said that Coach James was one of the main reasons she chose YSU.

“All the schools I was looking at were solid academically. However, Coach James was more concerned with what the program can do for me instead of what I can do for the program. He valued what I could bring to the program, but wanted the best for me even if YSU wasn’t it. That attracted me to Youngstown State.”

Strelka, who stands at 5'11, was named rookie of the year at Strongsville High and was one of the team's top goal scorers. She is a six year Regional State Select Team member for Northern Ohio Select, Cleveland Internationals and Cleveland Area Soccer Academy Super Y Leagues. Strelka is also a current member of the club team the Cleveland Whitecaps.

James said that Strelka has a knack for scoring important goals.

"As a striker, Geneva likes to use her pace and one-on-one attributes to get behind opposing teams defenses. She is a very technical player who is extremely strong on the ball. We expect her to step in and pick up where she left off at the high school and club level," said James.

For Strelker, the decision to come to YSU was an easy one.
"When I visited YSU I came away knowing YSU was the university I wanted to attend. The girls on the team I met seemed to have great chemistry between each other and with Coach James. I thought YSU was a good academic choice with the right atmosphere for me.”

Kempton's Strongsville High school soccer team was ranked number one in the state and number two in the nation. In 2005, Strongsville won the state championship. Kempton is a current member of the Ohio Premier North Soccer Club, who were state club champions in 2005. Kempton was also part of the team in 2006 and 2007 when it finished as state finalist. She is a four- year member of the Ohio North ODP program and was an All-Conference Selection Scholar athlete.

James was especially impressed with Kempton's competitive nature.

"Kelsey lives for the battles and will back down from no one. There aren’t many positions on the field she can’t play. However, she will be expected to challenge for immediate playing time in the defensive midfield position," said James.

"I chose YSU because of the opportunity to contribute to a growing program and play for a coach who wants his team and players to be successful," said Kempton.

McMurray is a current member of the Penns Forest Soccer Club Team and competes in track at Ambridge High School. In 2007 she was a WPIAL All-section Selection Team Captain and team MVP. McMurray's team was the PA West State Champions in 2003 and was a finalist in 2004 and 2005. She is also six year member of the PA West ODP state team. With her club team, McMurray played in integral role in being named the US State Club Champion in 2005. The team was also a finalist in 2006.

James described Jessica as an extremely strong physical player with great speed and athleticism.

"In spite of her physical attributes, Jessica is very technical player who reads the game very well. She will be expected to contribute right away in our defensive midfield or in the central back position," added James.

McMurray said that she is very happy with her decision to attend YSU.

“I chose to go to YSU because they offered the academic program that I am interested in. I also had previous experience with Coach James with my cup team and I knew that I would enjoy playing soccer for him."

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Wack and Brennan Receive National Recognition for Achievements
Tuesday, January 29 2008

Youngstown--Junior Carrie Wack was honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as one of the East Region Scholar Athletes. Wack, a hospitality management major, maintained a 3.80 GPA throughout the fall semester.

Wack was also named to the All-Ohio team by the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Coaches Association for her achievements on the field. During the 2007 season, Wack played in all 20 games and was named Defensive Player of the Year and Co-MVP by her coaches. She was also chosen as an All-Horizon League Second Team selection.

Freshman Lauren Brennan was named to the National Soccer Association of American All-Midwest Team for her accomplishments at Sacred Heart Griffin High School. Players from six other states joined Brennan on the list.

With her high school season being played in the spring, the NSCAA awards are announced at the end of the fall season and then made official at the recent convention.