UNLV WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS NIKE INVITATIONAL THIS WEEKEND FOR HOME OPENER
Rebels will face Portland State and LIU Brooklyn
The UNLV women’s soccer team will host a pair of defending conference champions this weekend as opens up the home portion of the schedule with the UNLV Nike Invitational on Friday, Aug. 30 and Sunday, Sept. 1. On Friday, the Rebels will take on Portland State, preseason favorites in the Big Sky, at 7 pm, while LIU Brooklyn and New Mexico State play in the first game at 4:30 pm. The second day will see UNLV host LIU Brooklny, defending Northeast Conference champs, at 1 pm on Sunday, with NMSU and Portland State beginning the day at 10:30 am. Live stats are available for all four games at UNLVRebels.com, and tickets are $8 for adults, children 12 and under are free.
All About The Rebels
The Rebels brings back three senior All-Mountain West players for the 2013 season, highlighted by senior Jenn Wolfe. She started off the season as hot as she finished 2012, scoring a pair of goals in the opening win at UC Riverside, while sophomore forward Susie Bernal set a school record with three assists in the victory. Senior Kylie Wassell has played all 180 minutes in goal this season thus far.
Scouting Portland State
The Vikings have started out the season at 0-2, though it was against tough competition with a home loss to No. 14 Marquette 3-2, and a 3-0 setback at Oregon to begin the year. Despite losing its top four scorers from a year ago, Portland State was still the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky. The top returning scorer from 2012, Cori Bianchini, scored one of the team’s two goals this season, while a pair of players have each played one full game in goal, Angela Haluska and Caitlin Plese.
Scouting LIU Brooklyn
The Rebels face another defending conference champion this weekend in the Blackbirds from LIU Brooklyn, who were picked to finish second in the Northeast Conference this season. Though the team lost 10 seniors from 2012, they return Jessica Sexton, who has 13 shutouts in her career. The team is 1-1 this year, with a 1-0 loss to Saint Joseph’s and a 1-0 win over Seton Hall, both on the Blackbirds’ home field.
Next Time Out
UNLV will be back on the road, starting its six-game road swing. First up is a Friday, Sept. 6 contest at Sacramento State at 2:30 pm, followed by a game on Sunday, Sept. 8 against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz., with an 11 am start.