April 11, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio women's soccer team will play its second set of spring friendlies this weekend when the Bobcats travel to Cincinnati to play Austin Peay and Xavier on Saturday afternoon.

The `Cats will play the Muskateers first at 1:30 p.m. and then take on the Governors at 4:30 p.m. Xavier and Austin Peay will battle at 3 p.m.

In last weekend's spring friendlies the Bobcats defeated Morehead State 1-0 but lost to Marshall by the same score, 1-0. Courtney Mink had the goal for the Bobcats against the Eagles. On a crossing pass to the middle of the box, Mink battled past a defender and fired a shot that grazed off the hip of another defender and into the back of the net.

Christa Puccio started in goal for the Bobcats for the first two games of the spring schedule with Mink, Halle Plagens and Jasmine Merith at forward, Jackie Hanson, Kate Fledderjohn and Erika Deitz at midfield and Rachael Goulding, Elyse Merchant, Sarah Brown and Amy Lower on the back line.

The Bobcats will lose seven players to graduation at the end of the current quarter but head coach Stacy Strauss will welcome 12 incoming freshmen and one transfer to fill out next season's squad.

Other spring friendlies set to take place in Athens include an April 26 match-up against Ohio State and May 11 showdown with Cincinnati. The spring season will be capped by the Alumni Game at 2 p.m. on May 17 at Chessa Field.

----------------------

Joe Waltasti is the women's soccer contact for the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at waltasti@ohio.edu.