The Tiffin University women's soccer team will head back out on the road this coming weekend, taking on Ferris State and Grand Valley State. The Dragons, having earned their first win of the season last week, will look for more in Michigan.
Tiffin vs. Ferris State
Series Record: The Dragons hold a 6-4-1 record against the Bulldogs. Tiffin has not beaten Ferris State since the 2014-15 season.
Last Matchup: The Dragons fell last year 1-0 to the Bulldogs, surrendering a goal with less than nine minutes left. The stats were very lopsided in favor of Ferris State, holding a 33-10 advantage in shots.
Saving The Day: Samantha Ortenzi has collected more saves than any other Tiffin women's soccer goalie in history. She has 273 for her career and currently leads the GLIAC in saves this year with 27. She is 24th nationally in saves and 4th in goalie minutes played with 480:00.
Offensive Uptick: Tiffin leads the GLIAC in total points (18), total assists (6), and they're 2nd in total goals (6). Nationally, Tiffin is 58th in total assists and 85th in total points. The offensive threat is evident with the Tiffin offense unlike last season. The Dragons scored only 14 goals in 18 games last year and had only 11 assists. This year, Tiffin has six assists and six goals in five games.
Currie Cruising Along: Adrianna Currie is 2nd in the GLIAC in goals (3), points (6), and shots (21). Last Friday, she netted the game tying and game winning goals against Roberts Wesleyan College.
Bullish Bulldogs: Ferris State enters Friday's game 2-3 overall, losing all three games in shutout fashion, 2-0, 1-0, and 1-0. The Ferris State defense is as tough as it comes, allowing 1.00 goal per game, tops in the GLIAC. The Bulldogs are 2nd in save percentage and nationally rank 67th.
Krafty: Grace Kraft is the keeper for the Bulldogs, leading the GLIAC in save percentage, saves per game, and tied for the lead in total saves. Nationally she is 24th in saves, 37th in saves per game, and 70th in save percentage.
Players To Watch:
Carley Dubbert - Leading the Bulldogs in goals (3), Dubbert also leads the team in points, shots, and shots on goal.
Grace Kraft - Leading the Bulldogs in saves, Kraft has played 315:00 minutes and is saving 84.4% of the shots against her. She is allowing 1.43 goals per game.
Tiffin vs. #12 Grand Valley State
Series Record: It has been pure dominance for the Lakers, who regularly rank inside the top 10 nationally. Grand Valley State has won all 12 matchups with the Dragons, outscoring Tiffin 60-2 since the 2008-09 season. The last time the Dragons scored a goal against the Lakers was in the 2010-11 season.
Losing Lakers: Grand Valley State is not accustomed to losing, but this year they opened 0-2 after losing to Bellarmine and #3 Columbus State. The Lakers rebounded last weekend, defeating Cedarville 2-0 and #10 Minnesota State Mankato 2-0. Currently, the Lakers are #12 in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll.
Consistently At The Top: The Lakers finished last season as the national runner-up, falling in the NCAA National Championship game 3-2 to Western Washington. Prior to last season's championship loss, the Lakers had won the NCAA National Championship in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The Lakers won two more titles in 2009 and 2010. Since 2010, the Lakers have won 156 of 181 games, a .862 winning percentage.
Players To Watch:
Gabriella Mencotti - The senior leads the Lakers in goals scored and points.
Jennifer Steinaway - The Lakers' keeper has 17 saves this season and has pitched a pair of shutouts.