Women's Soccer Opens 2018 Campaign This Weekend in Ohio

CSU women's soccer opens the 2018 season tomorrow evening at Youngstown State

Game #1
Chicago State (0-0) at Youngstown State (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 - 6 p.m.
Farmers National Bank Field - Youngstown, Ohio
Live Video - Live Stats

Game #2
Chicago State at Cleveland State (0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018 - 12 p.m.
Krenzler Field - Cleveland, Ohio
Live Stats

CHICAGO -

Opening Kickoff – The Chicago State women's soccer team opens the 2018 season this weekend with a pair of games in Ohio against Horizon League teams. CSU takes on Youngstown State tomorrow night in a live broadcast on ESPN+ beginning at 6 p.m. then head to Cleveland two days later to battle host Cleveland State on Sunday at 12 noon.

Scouting CSU – The Cougars come into their season-opening weekend looking to build momentum in the official start of the Cristiano Costa era after last Friday's exhibition contest at Loyola. Three different players scored in CSU's 6-3 defeat to the Ramblers in sophomore Bailey McFarland (Lakeside, Calif./El Capitan), and freshmen Marissa Beale (Frazier Park, Calif./Bakersfield Christian) and Aanika Stevens (Boise, Idaho/Centennial).

Eight letterwinners and seven starters return for the Green and White while Costa brings in 15 newcomers that will be looked upon to help the team contend for a spot in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at the end of October. The top returning players from 2017 for Chicago State are senior Audra Wisehart (Sandusky, Ohio/Huron), junior Mariela Alba (Hanover Park, Ill./Bartlett) and sophomore Jensyn Stanberry (Grand Haven, Mich./Fruitport).

Wisehart led the WAC with an average of 9.36 saves per game and ranked second in the league with 103 total saves a year ago, while Alba posted two goals and two assists for six points in her sophomore campaign. Stanberry led the team with nine points and four goals scored in her inaugural collegiate season.

Scouting YSU - Heading into its first season under new head coach Brian Shrum, Youngstown State has 22 underclassmen and only six upperclassmen this year after finishing with a 4-13-1 record last fall. The Penguins' top returning scorer is junior forward Rasheda Abdul-Rahman after she produced two goals and an assist for five points a year ago. After falling at Ohio in its exhibition opener by a score of 6-0, YSU posted a 1-1 draw on Monday at home against Marshall.

Scouting CLST - Cleveland State, which returns 17 letterwinners from last season's squad that finished 9-9-1, played a pair of exhibition contests last week with a 3-1 home defeat to Buffalo followed by a scoreless tie against Duquesne at home. Sophomore forward Jenna Prathpa is the leading returning scorer for the Vikings after recording six goals and three assists a year ago which garnered her Horizon League Freshman of the Year honors.

Five Years Strong - The 2018 will mark CSU's fifth season as a soccer program since playing its inaugural campaign in 2014 while the Cougars will play seven home games this year at the friendly confines of Gwendolyn Brooks High School Field.

The Costa Era Begins - After serving as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2017 season, Cristiano Costa heads into his first season as CSU's head coach in 2018. Costa brings two new staff members in Elton Silva (Assistant Coach) and Becca Ford (Volunteer Assistant Coach) while Graduate Assistant Coach Salvador Uriostegui comes back for his second season.

Up Next - The Cougars conclude their season-opening road swing at South Dakota on Aug. 26 with a start time of 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Mariela Alba: MF; 5' 3"; Junior

#21 Bailey McFarland: D/MF; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#8 Jensyn Stanberry: MF/F; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#1 Audra Wisehart: GK; 5' 9"; Senior

#26 Aanika Stevens: D; 5' 7"; Freshman

#16 Marissa Beale: F/MF; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#11 Mariela Alba
: 5' 3"; Junior
: MF

#21 Bailey McFarland
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: D/MF

#8 Jensyn Stanberry
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: MF/F

#1 Audra Wisehart
: 5' 9"; Senior
: GK

#26 Aanika Stevens
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: D

#16 Marissa Beale
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: F/MF

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned