FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's soccer team (7-3-1, 2-0-1) extended its unbeaten streak to six matches with a 3-0 win over Jacksonville (0-9-3, 0-3-1) Sunday afternoon at the FGCU Soccer Complex. The Eagles remain one of only three unbeaten teams in conference play and are tied for second place.
"We've been talking a lot to the team about the opportunities that we have at home and how important it is to take care of business here," said head coach
Jim Blankenship. "If we take care of business here, it will set us up to be in the driver's seat towards the end of the season. I'm happy with today's result and the way the players competed. Now, we move on to the next one."
The Eagles' offense exploded in the first half, as the team held most of its possession within the front third of the pitch. Senior
Evdokia Popadinova found the back of the net just over eight minutes into the game, notching her sixth goal of the season.
FGCU continued to fire shots into the box until freshman
Louise Lillback scored another goal for the home team with an unassisted shot from 30 yards out. The goal,
Lillback's (Stockholm, Sweden/Tibble Gymnasium) fifth of the season, gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead, which they held into the break.
In the first stanza, the Green and Blue outshot the Dolphins 14-0. Seven of the team's shots were on-frame and FGCU also held a 9-0 edge in corner kicks.
The Eagles maintained intensity in the second half, as sophomore
Ashlee Brentlinger (Middletown, DE/Padua Academy) tallied back-to-back, on-frame attempts in the opening minutes. After a collision in the box,
Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Northwestern Ohio) earned a penalty kick opportunity which she converted for her second goal of the game in the 56th minute.
Freshman
Emily Mccue checked into the match in the 63rd minute, replacing senior keeper
Melissa Weck. Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) finished her day without facing any shots. She and
McCue (Victoria, BC/Burnaby Central Secondary School) combined for the team's sixth shutout of the season.
Throughout the match, the Eagles outshot the Dolphins 29-0, forcing Jacksonville's keeper to come up with a season-high 11 saves. As of today's win, which had the team's largest margin of victory this season,
Popadinova now leads the team with seven goals on the season.
Up Next
FGCU will remain at the Nest to host Kennesaw State (7-6-0, 2-2-0) on Thursday, Oct. 10 at the FGCU Soccer Complex. The match against the Owls is slated for a 7 p.m. kick-off and it will be Cancer Awareness Night. Pink shirts will be on sale for $15 with the benefits going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Within the next few weeks, the team will face off against the top-ranked programs in the conference. The Eagles will take on NJIT (Oct. 13) and UNF (Oct. 17) at the Nest, both of which are tied with FGCU for second in the league. Liberty, currently first in the league, is slated to host the Eagles on Oct. 20.
ASUN Standings
1. Liberty (7-4-2, 3-1-0)
T-2. UNF (8-3-2, 2-0-1)
T-2. FGCU (7-3-1. 2-0-1)
T-2. NJIT (5-3-3, 2-0-1)
5. Kennesaw State (7-6-0, 2-2-0)
6. Lipscomb (7-5-1, 1-1-1)
7. Stetson (2-8-2, 0-2-1)
8. Jacksonville (0-9-3, 0-3-1)
9. North Alabama (4-8-0, 0-3-0)
Career records of note:
Goals
1. 66 - Tabby TINDELL - 2013-16
2. 28 - Shannen WACKER - 2011-14
3. 24 - Amber McCALL - 2007-09
4. 23 - Lindsey HAW - 2007-10
5. 22 - Paulina SPECKMAIER - 2013-16
6. 21 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19
21 - Evdokia Popadinova- 2018-19
8. 17 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
9. 16 - Gina PETRACCO - 2008-11
10. 12 - Olivia ELIAS - 2008-11
12 - Ali ROGERS - 2012-16
Assists
1. 30 - Tabby TINDELL - 2013-16
2. 28 - Ashley CIESIELCZYK - 2008-12
3. 27 - Shannen WACKER - 2011-14
4. 22 - Lindsay HAW - 2007-10
22 - Paulina SPECKMAIER - 2013-16
6. 20 - Marjorie Boilesen- 2017-19
19 - Ally KASUN - 2012-15
7. 18 - Melissa ARNOLD - 2011-14
9. 15 - Holly FRITZ - 2017-18
15 - Caytlan MACKENZIE - 2007-10
15 - Meaghan MULLIGAN - 2015-17
15 - Camille KNUDSTRUP - 2015-18
Points
1. 162 - Tabby TINDELL (66g 30a) - 2013-16
2. 83 - Shannen WACKER (28g 27a) - 2011-14
3. 68 - Lindsay HAW (23g 22a) - 2007-10
4. 66 - Paulina SPECKMAIER (22g 22a) - 2013-16
5. 62 - Marjorie Boilesen (21g 20a) - 2017-19
6. 57 - AMBER McCALL (24g 9a) - 2007-09
7. 53 - Ally KASUN (17g 19a) - 2012-15
8. 48 - Evdokia Popadinova (20g 8a)- 2018-19
9. 44 - Gina PETRACCO (16g 12a) - 2008-11
10. 40 - Ashley CIESIELCZYK (6g 28a) - 2008-12
Saves
1. 274 - Brittany BROWN (56 GA, 274 saves) - 2012-15
2. 261 - Stephanie POWERS (52 GA, 261 saves) - 2008-11
3. 229 - Melissa Weck (52 GA, 229 saves) - 2016-19
4. 55 - Kirsi KEENAN (16 GA, 55 saves) - 2007-10
Most shutouts
1. 37.1 - Brittany BROWN - 2012-15
2. 31.4 - Melissa Weck - 2016-19
3. 31 - Stephanie POWERS - 2008-11
4. 8 - Kirsi KEENAN - 2007-10
Goals against avg.
1. 0.67 - Brittany BROWN (56 GA, 7511 min) - 2012-15
2. 0.73 - Stephanie POWERS (52 GA, 6401 min) - 2008-11
3. 0.77 - Melissa Weck (52 GA, 6112 min) - 2016-19
4. 0.84 - EMILY BARRETT (5 GA, 538 min) - 2007-09
FALL SPORTS SINGLE-GAME, SEASON AND GROUP TICKETS ON SALE
Single game tickets for volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer are on sale now. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for military/veterans (with ID) and youth (age 15 and under).
Season tickets (entry to each home game) are $55 for volleyball and women's soccer and $40 for men's soccer. Group tickets are $7 for groups of 15 or more and will include reserved seats, group recognition, a group activity and choice of FGCU gear or food. Fall Frequent Flyer passes, which includes a total of 30 entries to all three sports, are just $99.
For all inquiries, you can visit FGCUtickets.com, call 239-590-7145 or stop by the ticket office, which is open daily Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to all home events.
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 12 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 11 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles as they became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. A year later, the Eagles became the first ASUN women's soccer program to make four-straight NCAA Tournaments with another tournament title in 2017. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 163-58-24 (.714) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including a 78-14-15 (.801) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 403-128-35 (.743) over 26 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.
-- FGCUATHLETICS.COM –