The CSUN women’s soccer team (4-3) will look to teach Penn (2-2), from the Ivy League, a lesson when they battle at Matador Field on Friday night.
The Matadors are coming off a performance in the UNLV tournament where they went 2-0 against the Runnin’ Rebels and Kansas University. Following the victories, senior forward Farryn Townley received Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors. Sophomore goalkeeper Cynthia Jacobo also took home the Big West Co-Defensive Player of the Week recognition for recording two shutouts in the tournament.
Now, head coach Keith West is focused on Penn, and thinks that his team is going to take the win.
“Yea they (Penn) are a really good team but I think we will beat them,” a confident West said.
The Quakers will be looking for their first road victory of the season since it’s their first away match.
The Quakers recently lost to the defending Atlantic 10 champions Dayton in a 2-0 result but do not let that fool you, Penn has had a couple of bright sides on the year.
In the two games won this season, the Quakers beat their opponents in exciting fashion. Penn’s game against Villanova, they took a 3-0 victory, which was its first win against the Wildcats in school history.
Freshman forward Kathryn Barth had one of the goals against the Wildcats and will be a player that the Matadors will need to buckle down defensively. Barth has two goals on the season with the other coming as the game-winner against rival team Saint Joseph’s. In the season, she has four shots with three being on goal giving her four points. In addition to starting this season off on the right foot Barth was captain of her high school team and received Honorable Mention All-State and First Team All- Gazette in 2009. Barth has also been lettered four times in soccer, which shows her experience.
The Quakers are averaging 11 shots per game and are 21-45 in shot- on- goal attempts with a .467 percentage. The Quakers lead their opponents in corner kicks (19-11), and have no penalties on the season.
According to freshman Brittanie Sakajian the Matadors are content about their recent performance and feel that if the team continues to work hard the Quakers should not be a problem.
“I think if we keep improving and play well, we will come out with the win,” forward Sakajian said.
The Matadors have been playing well, winning four of their last five games and showing determination on the road as well.
Junior forward Heidi Farran is excited about being back home under the lights and when asked how the game will turn out her confidence bloomed.
“Duh, yes were going to win, at home under the lights, of course we are going to win,” Farran said.
The Confident Matadors and the Quakers square off at 7 p.m.
After CSUN faces Penn they will travel to the Lone Star State to face Texas A&M on Sunday.
