Saturday, October 22
Detroit, Mich.
3 PM
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
Detroit Mercy
Tia Johnson
Photo by: John Nagel
Mastodons Look to Secure #HLWSOC Championship Berth on Saturday
10/20/2022 11:13:00 AM | Women's Soccer
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Purdue Fort Wayne women's soccer team has a chance to secure a berth to the Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship on Saturday (Oct. 22) with a matchup at Detroit Mercy.
Game Day Information
Who: Detroit Mercy Titans
When: Saturday, October 22 | 3 PM
Where: Detroit, Mich. | Titan Field
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne
Know Your Foe
Detroit Mercy is 6-8-1 and 4-4 in Horizon League play. The Titans are unbeaten at home this season at 5-0-1, and have won their last five at home. They are coming off a pair of multi-goal losses at IUPUI (3-0) and Milwaukee (4-0). Abby Lodato is the Titans' leading point-scorer with nine. Five of her points have come on five assists.
Series History
Purdue Fort Wayne is 2-10-3 against Detroit Mercy in the all-time series dating back to 2001. The Mastodons have not lost in Detroit since 2008, having tied the last three trips to Titan Field, but have yet to ever win there. The Mastodons' last win against Detroit Mercy was in 2019, a 2-0 win in which Morgan Reitano scored.
Playoff Picture
Two wins would go a long way for the Mastodons in the Horizon League Championship seeding. A pair of wins could potentially move the Mastodons into first place (with a Milwaukee loss), and would guarantee at least the No. 2 seed. Even if Oakland were to win out as well, Purdue Fort Wayne owns the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Golden Grizzlies. One win in their final two games will clinch at least a berth to the Horizon League Championship.
Home Sweet Hefner!
Purdue Fort Wayne finished the regular season with an unbeaten record at the Hefner Soccer Complex, going 6-0-3 in front of its home crowd. The 'Dons beat Chicago State, Ball State, Southern Indiana, Robert Morris, Northern Kentucky and Green Bay, and tied Bellarmine, IUPUI and Milwaukee. It is the first time in program history that the Mastodons have had an unbeaten record at home in a season.
Familiar Faces
Eight Mastodons have started all 16 matches this season: Kelsey Gallagher, Zoe Greenhalge, Bella Reitano, Marisa Metzger, Lizzie Haub, Isabelle Wissel, Samantha Castaneda and Gabrielle Fanning.
These Are Good Things
The Mastodons are in the midst of their best season in program history. The team's winning percentage of .656 is the best of any season. The program has seen just two winning seasons: 2003 (9-7-3, .553) and 2012 (10-8-1, .553).
Record Chaser
Gabrielle Fanning's next game played will move her into a tie for the program's all-time appearances record with 81. She became the all-time starts leader at Wright State on October 9, and now owns 77 starts.
Brick Wall Castaneda
Samantha Castaneda owns a 1.07 career goals against average, which is the best in program history among those that played at least 750 minutes in the net. This beats out the second-best of 1.68 from Sam Pavlika (2012-14). Her mark of 0.75 GAA this season is the best for a year-long average, topping Pavlika's 1.07 in 2012. Castaneda's 10 shutouts in her career is also a program-best.
Bench Production
Purdue Fort Wayne's two leading goal-scorers, Mackenzie Evans and Gigi Ricciardi, have primarily been coming off the bench this season. Evans started in a three-game stretch in early September and Ricciardi made her only career start against Green Bay on October 16. Both Evans and Ricciardi have four goals this season.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons beat Green Bay 2-0 thanks to goals from Bella Reitano and Gigi Ricciardi.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will play its final game of the regular season at Cleveland State on Wednesday, October 26.
Game Day Information
Who: Detroit Mercy Titans
When: Saturday, October 22 | 3 PM
Where: Detroit, Mich. | Titan Field
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne
Know Your Foe
Detroit Mercy is 6-8-1 and 4-4 in Horizon League play. The Titans are unbeaten at home this season at 5-0-1, and have won their last five at home. They are coming off a pair of multi-goal losses at IUPUI (3-0) and Milwaukee (4-0). Abby Lodato is the Titans' leading point-scorer with nine. Five of her points have come on five assists.
Series History
Purdue Fort Wayne is 2-10-3 against Detroit Mercy in the all-time series dating back to 2001. The Mastodons have not lost in Detroit since 2008, having tied the last three trips to Titan Field, but have yet to ever win there. The Mastodons' last win against Detroit Mercy was in 2019, a 2-0 win in which Morgan Reitano scored.
Playoff Picture
Two wins would go a long way for the Mastodons in the Horizon League Championship seeding. A pair of wins could potentially move the Mastodons into first place (with a Milwaukee loss), and would guarantee at least the No. 2 seed. Even if Oakland were to win out as well, Purdue Fort Wayne owns the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Golden Grizzlies. One win in their final two games will clinch at least a berth to the Horizon League Championship.
Home Sweet Hefner!
Purdue Fort Wayne finished the regular season with an unbeaten record at the Hefner Soccer Complex, going 6-0-3 in front of its home crowd. The 'Dons beat Chicago State, Ball State, Southern Indiana, Robert Morris, Northern Kentucky and Green Bay, and tied Bellarmine, IUPUI and Milwaukee. It is the first time in program history that the Mastodons have had an unbeaten record at home in a season.
Familiar Faces
Eight Mastodons have started all 16 matches this season: Kelsey Gallagher, Zoe Greenhalge, Bella Reitano, Marisa Metzger, Lizzie Haub, Isabelle Wissel, Samantha Castaneda and Gabrielle Fanning.
These Are Good Things
The Mastodons are in the midst of their best season in program history. The team's winning percentage of .656 is the best of any season. The program has seen just two winning seasons: 2003 (9-7-3, .553) and 2012 (10-8-1, .553).
Record Chaser
Gabrielle Fanning's next game played will move her into a tie for the program's all-time appearances record with 81. She became the all-time starts leader at Wright State on October 9, and now owns 77 starts.
Brick Wall Castaneda
Samantha Castaneda owns a 1.07 career goals against average, which is the best in program history among those that played at least 750 minutes in the net. This beats out the second-best of 1.68 from Sam Pavlika (2012-14). Her mark of 0.75 GAA this season is the best for a year-long average, topping Pavlika's 1.07 in 2012. Castaneda's 10 shutouts in her career is also a program-best.
Bench Production
Purdue Fort Wayne's two leading goal-scorers, Mackenzie Evans and Gigi Ricciardi, have primarily been coming off the bench this season. Evans started in a three-game stretch in early September and Ricciardi made her only career start against Green Bay on October 16. Both Evans and Ricciardi have four goals this season.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons beat Green Bay 2-0 thanks to goals from Bella Reitano and Gigi Ricciardi.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will play its final game of the regular season at Cleveland State on Wednesday, October 26.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
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