Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Thurs., Sept. 27, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Weekend Preview

Trend of firsts runs through the weekend

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- It was a night of firsts Tuesday for the Fredonia State women’s soccer team.

The 7 p.m. game vs. Elmira College – a 5-2 Blue Devil win – was the first home night game in the 22-year history of the program.

During the milestone event, two players scored their first collegiate goals, two others earned their first collegiate points, and the Blue Devil goalkeeper, freshman Molly Bojanek (Williamsville/Williamsville East), earned her first collegiate victory.

More importantly, Chris Case’s team recorded its first victory since the season-opener at Trevecca Nazarene, an NAIA school. The Blue Devils (2-5-1) will now be looking for their first SUNYAC win of the season when they play host Friday to Morrisville State (4 p.m., University Stadium).

The Blue Devils will take a 0-2-1 SUNYAC record into the weekend, which also includes a Saturday afternoon home game vs. SUNYIT (1 p.m.).

“We solved our scoring problem (Tuesday night vs. Elmira),” Case said, “and are hoping to keep the goals coming this weekend. However, we will need to tighten up in the back. We are giving our opponents to many quality chances.”

The first-time goal scorers vs. Elmira were sophomore Gwen Curtis (Rochester/Greece Arcadia) and freshman Angela Beck (Randolph). Two other freshmen, Jessica Loretz (Endwell/Maine Endwell) and Rachel Mimken (Fairport), cracked into the point column for the first with assists. Loretz added a second assist for good measure.

The opponents this weekend are headed in opposite directions – literally. The Mustangs of Morrisville State are preparing to join SUNYAC, a three-year process in its second year. SUNYIT is leaving the conference after this season to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference in 2008-09.

So while the Blue Devils will be meeting Morrisville State as a prospective SUNYAC member for the first time, they will be facing SUNYIT for the last time in regular-season conference competition.

A positive result each day send Case to the top of the Fredonia State women’s soccer coaching list. With 51 wins entering weekend play, he would pass Lisa B. Siegel, winner of 52 games over seven seasons in the 1990s, on the all-time career list.

Keeping with the first-time theme:

MEN’S SOCCER – In a conference schedule that mirrors that of the women, the Blue Devils will be making their first SUNYAC road trip of the season with stops Friday at Morrisville State and Saturday at SUNYIT. Head coach P.J. Gondek’s team is 4-5-0 overall, 2-1-0 in SUNYAC, including a split of conference games last weekend.

“Clearly, the New Paltz (a 6-2 win) and Oneonta (a 2-1 loss) games were not complete efforts last weekend,” head coach P.J. Gondek said. “At some point we will need to realize that we cannot get by on talent alone as the Fredonia soccer program has always been known for an extraordinary work ethic. We are hoping to improve our focus because anything short of two wins this weekend is unacceptable.”

CROSS COUNTRY – The Blue Devils are headed Saturday to the SUNY Geneseo Cross Country Invitational at Letchworth State Park, with the men’s race at noon and the women’s race at 1 p.m. For the first time this fall, head coach Nolan Swanson plans on entering all his runners. In previous meets, he’s held out members of each of the two teams.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL – Coach Geoff Braun’s team will have to wait one weekend before the first-time angle is part of its story. The first Blue Devil Invitational under Braun’s watch is Oct. 5-6 at Dods Hall. He hopes to make it an annual event.

In the meantime, the Blue Devils will keep busy this weekend with a Friday-Saturday road trip to the 2007 Oneonta State Invitational. Kings College and the host Red Dragons are the scheduled opponents Friday, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. The Saturday schedule – 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. – will be determined after Friday’s competition.

WOMEN’S TENNIS – There is also no “first” to report in women’s tennis, only a “last.” The Blue Devils will be playing their final home match of the season when SUNY Cortland comes calling at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Five seniors will be making their final home appearance – Marie Holla (Wellsville), Brittany Pagano (Silver Creek/Nequa Valley, Ill.), Amy Sacca (Saratoga Springs), Sarah Spicola (Gowanda), and Sarah Yates (Orchard Park).

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