This Week: The Notre Dame College women's soccer team will open up their Mountain East Conference schedule with a pair of road contest. First, on Wednesday Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. the Falcons will travel to West Liberty University, before going to Fairmont State University on Sunday Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
 
Records: NDC and WLU both begin conference play at 1-1, while Fairmont State is currently 0-0-1.
 
Coaches Corner: Mike Shiels headlines the Notre Dame women's soccer program for his 20^th season at the helm. Shiels carries a 188-119-30 career record, to go along with three MEC Tournament championships and four MEC Coach of the Year honors. Barry Christmas is in his ninth season as head coach of West Liberty. Kernell Borneo heads the Fairmont State program in his second season, with a career record of 8-8-4.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are currently ranked according to the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
 
Series History: Notre Dame is an undefeated 12-0-7 all-time when facing West Liberty, dating back to their first meeting in 2013. Last season, the two sides dueled to a pair of draws (0-0 and 1-1). NDC is 7-4-4 when facing Fairmont State all-time, dating back to their first meeting in 2015. Last season, the teams split their regular season bouts both by a score of 3-1, before the FSU Falcons beat the NDC Falcons in the first round of the MEC Tournament (2-0).
 
Noting the NDC Falcons: Last week, Notre Dame played a single non-conference game at Tiffin, where the Falcons fell, 3-1. Senior Madison Luckett notched her first goal of the season in the 18^th minute to give NDC the early advantage. However, in the 33^rd minute, freshman keeper Victoria Long received a red card and Tiffin netted the ensuing penalty kick, tying the game at 1-1. TU took advantage of a shorthanded NDC team in the second stanza by recording three goals to win, 4-1.
 
Through two games, Notre Dame's offense has been stabilized with goals from freshman Emma Buda, junior Madison Marino and Luckett. In terms of shots, five Falcons have recorded multiple on the year with Marino leading the pack at five followed the Buda, Luckett, freshman Maridza Desir and junior Anaya Edwards who all have three.
 
On the young season, all three Falcon keepers have seen action with senior Jordan Pasalaqua as the leader. The Madison, Ohio native has five saves, zero goals allowed and a shutout so far in 2022.
 
As a team, NDC has three goals on 19 shots taken, to go with two assists, seven corner kicks and 13 saves.
 
Noting the Hilltoppers:  Last week, West Liberty faced Salem at home and won 2-0. Despite outshooting the Tigers 17 (10) to 2 (1), the Hilltoppers did not score until the final 15 minutes of the game. WLU notched the game-winner in the 76^th minute by Anne Williams and an insurance goal in the 89^th minute by Amelia Compston. The week before, WLU opened their season at Seton Hill with a 2-0 defeat.
 
West Liberty is led on offense by the aforementioned Williams and Compston who have registered WLU's lone goals of the year. Compston is the leader in shots at five, as no other Hilltopper has more than two taken. The Hilltoppers will be tasked with replacing their top goal scorer who generated a team-high four goals, ten points, 25 shots, 15 shots on goal and two game-winning goals a season ago.
 
In goal, freshman Zara Wickert has six saves, two goals and one shutout on the season, while facing 12 total shots so far this year. Wickert will enjoy ample playing time as both keepers from a season ago have since left the team, leaving head coach Christmas and the Hilltoppers with four freshman goalies on roster.
 
As a unit, West Liberty has two goals scored on 20 shots taken, to go with zero assists, 10 corner kicks and six saves.
 
Noting the FSU Falcons: Last week, Fairmont State was idle, but the FSU Falcons opened their season the week prior against Slippery Rock on Aug. 28. The two sides fought to a scoreless draw with the Rock outshooting the Falcons 15 (6) to 8 (5). Last season, FSU went 8-8-3 before falling to Concord in the MEC Semifinals, 2-1.
 
Fairmont State is led offensively by junior Kiera Kuzinski who last season, ranked second in the MEC in shots per game (4.78) and fourth in goals scored (12).  The junior led the team a year ago in goals, points (26), shots (89), shots on goal (46) and game-winning goals (5). This season Kuzinski leads the team in shots (3) and shots on goal (2).
 
Senior Taylor Kennedy returns for the Falcons in net after starting in goal in every contest since 2019. The veteran goalie has six saves and one clean sheet so far this season, after posting 98 saves and four shutouts in 2021. In addition, she ranked second in the MEC in saves (98), save percentage (.826) and saves per game (5.28) last season.
 
So far in 2022, Fairmont State has zero goals on eight shots taken, to go with zero assists, three corner kicks and six saves. It is only a matter of time before this veteran team finds their stride as they ranked fourth in the MEC in goals per game (1.72), opponent goals per game (1.11) and shots (238) in 2021.