Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Begins Eight-Match Road Trip in Ohio
9/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 11, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University's women's soccer squad will begin its eight-match road trip this weekend with two matches in northwest Ohio against the Mid-American Conference Champions, the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University.
The Thundering Herd first challenges the reigning MAC tournament champion and Great Lakes Region 15th-ranked Toledo, Friday, with a 5 p.m. scheduled start at Scott Park. Marshall will then meet MAC tournament runner-up, BGSU, Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Cochrane Field.
"I am eager to see how we do against the two teams that played for the MAC championship a year ago," Marshall's interim head coach Kevin Long said. "We will be looking to rebound in Ohio, after twice giving up two-goal leads this past weekend."
The Rockets (2-1-0) and the Herd (2-0-2) first met in 1998 at Toledo with the Rockets taking a 1-0 decision. The most recent appearance was in 2004 with the Herd falling 3-1. Toledo holds the all-time series lead, 6-1.
"The team will be trying to produce a consistent style of play against what surely measures to be our toughest competition of the season so far," Coach Long added.
The Herd and the Falcons (1-2-2) have met seven times in school history with BGSU leading 4-1-2. The first meeting dates back to the Herd's inaugural season, which the orange and brown took a 1-0 victory. The most recent result was in 2004 after a 1-1 draw in overtime at Bowling Green.
Sophomore forward Erika Duncan (Easthaven, Scotland) leads the Herd with four goals after four matches. Freshman Angela DeSumma (Doylestown, Pa.) has a team high of three assists so far for the season. Sophomore forward Missy Gordon (Carmel, Ind.) stands team leader in shots (18) and shots-on-goal with eight.
Co-captain keeper Liz Orton (Fort Collins, Colo.) has 400 playing time minutes and 17 saves so far this season. The junior has registered 207 saves so far in her three-year career.
The Herd opened regular season defeating St. Bonaventure, 3-1, at McGraw-Jennings Field. Marshall then traveled to Emmitsburg, Md. and shut out Mount St. Mary's, 4-0. In its home opener, the Herd took a 2-2 draw with The Citadel in the fourth annual Thundering Herd Nike Invitational. To close the invitational, Marshall tied Radford, 2-2.
Marshall has a four-match unbeaten streak (two of which ended in ties), which it hasn't been done since 2004. The 2004 team went 2-0-2 in its opening four matches before falling to Wright State and finished with three ties against LaSalle University, Drexel University, and Bowling Green State University.
GameTracker will be available for Sunday's match by clicking the Marshall women's soccer schedule.
Herd fans can view and purchase photos from the 2008 women's soccer season at http://herdsportsphotos.exposuremanager.com/ under "2008 Women's Soccer."
