TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo will wrap up its non-conference schedule this weekend when it travels to Normal, Ill. to take on Missouri Valley Conference foe Illinois State (2-6-0). Kickoff for the contest on Sunday, Sept. 19 is set for 1:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. CT) and will be televised on ESPN3.
The Rockets (4-1-2) are looking to rebound from their first loss of the season, a 1-0 home setback to Big Ten foe Illinois last Sunday. Toledo's program-record six-match unbeaten start to the season was ended with the defeat.
Freshman midfielder Olivia Dault leads the Rockets with three goals and six points. Sophomore forward Ellie Pool ranks second with two goals and five points. Sophomore Emma Boutorwick tops the Mid-American Conference with a 0.40 goals-against average and is tied for 12th in the nation with a league-best .909 saves percentage.
The Rockets lead the MAC with a 0.40 GAA and four shutouts. Toledo ranks third in third in the conference with 5.00 corner kicks per game and sixth with 1.43 goals per game.
Reading the Redbirds (2-6-0)
Illinois State will visit Valparaiso for its Missouri Valley Conference opener on Friday before hosting Toledo. The Redbirds have posted road wins over MAC schools Eastern Michigan (4-0) and Northern Illinois (4-2). ISU suffered a 5-1 home setback to Illinois, the lone common opponent for the Rockets and Redbirds. Senior Natalie Vaughn-Low is the team leader in goals (4) and points (9). Senior Riley O'Brien ranks second in goals (3) and points (8). Junior Priya Gillan has started seven games and has a 2.25 GAA and .698 SV%.
Last Week
• Toledo split a pair of home games with a 1-0 shutout of Indiana State (Sept. 10) and a 1-0 setback to Illinois (Sept. 12). Senior Claire Cahalan netted her first career goal by blasting a free kick from just outside the box at the 78' mark. Toledo dominated the contest with a 17-3 shot advantage.
• The Rockets and Illini played a tight contest at Paul Hotmer Field with the visitors scoring the match's lone goal with 12 minutes remaining. Sophomore Emma Boutorwick registered a career-high nine saves in the defeat.
Record-Breaking Start
• Prior to its 1-0 loss to Illinois, Toledo set the program record for the longest unbeaten streak to open a season (6) with its 4-0-2 start.
• The Rockets also won their first three home games for the first time since 2008.
• Toledo's four-game winning streak ended vs. Illinois last Sunday. It was the Rockets' most consecutive wins since 2017 when they won five in a row with three coming in its MAC Tournament Championship run.
Boutorwick Remains Consistent
Sophomore goalkeeper Emma Boutorwick has been stellar in goal for the Rockets this season. Boutorwick has four shutouts through the first seven games of the season and has not allowed more than one goal in a game yet. Boutorwick was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week each of the first two weeks of the season.
The Senior Season
With the extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, the Rockets' roster will be a bit larger this season, including a large number of players listed as seniors. In total, Toledo will have 10 seniors on the roster this season. Of the 10, half will be using an extra year of eligibility being granted by the NCAA to all athletes.
Chasing Two Milestones
Toledo Head Coach T.J. Buchholz currently has 224 career wins as a head coach under his belt. Of those 224, 49 have come with the Rockets after tallying 175 at previous stops. If the Rockets can capture one more win, Buchholz will reach 225 career wins as well as 50 wins with the Rockets in the same contest. With 50 wins, Buchholz would tie Rj. Anderson for second place on the career wins list. Brad Evans occupies the top spot, tallying 138 career wins over 14 seasons with the Rockets, spanning from 2001-14.
Follow the Rockets
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Twitter - @ToledoRockets and @ToledoSoccer
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