TOLEDO, OH - Toledo (2-1-1) will continue its four-match homestand on Thursday, Sept. 10 against Wright State (1-3-1). The opening whistle is slated for 5:00 p.m. at Scott Park.
Following the Raiders contest, the Rockets will host St. Bonaventure (2-3-0) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and the matchup will be carried live on the Buckeye Cable Sports Network (BCSN).
Last weekend, UT suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a 2-1 decision against Butler. The setback was only the Rockets' second in their last 14 home matches. Sophomore Jaimie Morsillo scored a second-half goal to draw the teams even at 1-1, but a UT defensive lapse in the 71st minute proved to be the difference. Toledo's defense allowed a pair of goals after yielding no tallies over the previous 266 minutes, a span of five-plus halves.
Ninth-year Head Coach Brad Evans is fairly pleased with his team's performance on the field over the first three-plus weeks of the fall campaign, despite the home loss to the Bulldogs.
"Clearly we're a team that has a great deal of potential and at times we've shown why we can be a very good team," Evans said. "There are also moments of inconsistency that we need to have addressed by the time the MAC season starts."
Offensively, five different Rockets have found the back of the net, including senior Molly Cornwell with a team-best two tallies and league-high four assists. The two-time Mid-American Conference Player of the Year has registered points in three of four contests, including an assist on a perfectly-placed corner kick against Butler. As a team, UT is second in the MAC in assists (6, 1.50 apm), third in goals (6, 1.50 gpm) and total points (18, 4.50) and fifth in shots (58, 14.50 spm).
"As a team we have one part of the equation down, which is we're creating chances," Evans said. "Our finishing must become more focused both technically and mentally."
On the defensive side of the field, the three-time conference tourney champs continue to shuffle different players in different positions, searching for the right combination. As a unit, UT is tied for first in the league in shutouts (2, 0.50), as well as tied for third in goals allowed (3, 0.75 GAA) and fourth in goals-against average (0.71). Between the posts, sophomore Vicki Traven has been solid and compiled a miniscule 0.78 GAA with 12 saves and two blankings.
Wright State enters Thursday's match with a 1-3-1 mark following its first five matches of the season. Last weekend, WSU tied IPFW, 1-1, before claiming a 1-0 victory against Loyola. Morgan Butler (two goals) and Brittany Persaud (one goal, two assists) lead the offensive attack with four points each. Wright State leads the all-time series by a 2-1 count, but the Rockets most recently tallied a 1-0 home victory on Sept. 9, 2007.
St. Bonaventure, which plays at MAC member Bowling Green on Friday before traveling to the Glass City, split two matches last weekend, defeating Buffalo (3-1) and losing to Canisius (3-2). Courtney Bosse tops the team's overall stats with seven points (three goals, one assist), followed closely by Anna Cunningham (two goals, two assists). Sunday's match-up will be the first meeting between the schools.
"Two very-well coached teams come to UT this week and we will need more consistent and solid performances to win these matches," Evans said.
