Posted: Sep 12, 2017
Preview: Red Devils Ready to Make History Thursday
EUREKA, Ill. -- The Eureka College women's soccer team will make history Thursday night when the Red Devils play the first soccer match in the history of McKinzie Field in a 7 p.m. non-conference start against Lincoln Christian. A 10-week renovation throughout the summer saw the installation of FieldTurf and a state-of-the-art lighting system at EC's longtime football stadium, which will now serve campus as a dual-purpose facility.
The Red Devils will close the week with a Sunday road trip to USCAA St. Mary-of-the-Woods in the Terre Haute, Ind. suburbs. Kickoff against the Pomeroys is slated for 2 p.m.
LAST WEEK IN REVIEW
Eureka is still in search of its first victory of 2017 after dropping back-to-back non-conference matches last week.
The Red Devils started the 2017 season on the wrong end of a 8-0 non-conference score versus Rockford last Wednesday afternoon at Traister Field. Rockford's Lexie Collins netted the match-winner for the visitors in the eighth minute. Collins finished a hat trick with her third tally of the afternoon at 83:24, the Regents' final goal of the day. The Eureka goalkeeping duo of Sarah Domkowski and Sunshine Nowak-Wolff combined to make 13 saves.
EC took its first road trip of the 2017 season last Friday afternoon in Ankeny, Iowa, dropping a 10-0 non-conference decision to NCCAA Faith Baptist Bible. Lyndi Shepard netted a hat trick for the hosts, including the match-winning goal in the 13th minute. Nowak-Wolff made six saves in the full 90 minutes for the Red Devils.
LINCOLN CHRISTIAN AT EUREKA (THURSDAY, 7 p.m.)
The Red Devils will welcome longtime non-conference foe Lincoln Christian to the new FieldTurf at McKinzie Field Thursday at 7 p.m.
LCU will bring an 0-5-0 record to Eureka on Thursday. The Red Lions have dropped contests to Trinity Christian, MacMurray, Hannibal-LaGrange, the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Holy Cross. Lincoln Christian has been outscored 40-5 thus far with all five of its goals coming from junior midfielder Abigail Crockett. Freshman Mikayla Smith has played all 450 minutes in goal.
Eureka and Lincoln Christian have five times in women's soccer. The Red Devils lead the all-time series, 3-2-0, but have dropped contests to the Red Lions in each of the last two seasons, including a 7-0 decision last October in Lincoln.
EUREKA AT ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS (SUNDAY, 2 p.m.)
Eureka will return to the road Sunday in a 2 p.m. match at USCAA St. Mary-of-the-Woods. It will be the Red Devils' first-ever matchup with the Pomeroys.
SMWC will enter the week with an 0-3-0 record, suffering losses at Harris-Stowe, Cincinnati Christian and Earlham. The Pomeroys will visit Brescia on Wednesday before hosting the Red Devils Sunday in their 2017 home opener.
Senior midfielder Yadira Castellanos and sophomore forward Ashley Jezik have scored goals this season for SWMC. Opponents have outscored the Pomeroys 15-2 in 2017.