 | vs. |  |
#22 TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (5-2-2, 1-1-2 CCAC) vs. SAINT XAVIER COUGARS (3-4-3, 2-1-1 CCAC)
Tuesday, October 7 | 4:00 p.m.
Schartner Field | Deerfield, Ill.
| vs. |  |
#22 TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (5-2-2, 1-1-2 CCAC) vs. CALUMET ST. JOSEPH CRIMSON WAVE (4-7, 1-3 CCAC)
Friday, October 10 | 4:00 p.m.
Schartner Field | Deerfield, Ill.
Quick Notes
• Homecoming week is here, as the No. 22 Trinity International Trojans host a pair of CCAC matches, against St. Xavier on Wednesday, October 7, and Calumet St. Joseph on Friday, October 10. Both contests start at 4:00 p.m. at Schartner Field, and will be streamling live online at TIUtrojans.com.
• The Trojans are looking to bounce back from a winless week, after playing Trinity Christian to a 0-0 draw, followed by Trinity's first loss in league play, 2-0 at Olivet Nazarene on Saturday.
• Junior forward Samantha Yasatan is the CCAC leader in goals scored, with 14 this season, twice as many goals as any other player in the league.
• Trinity has averaged 3.11 goals per match this season, most in the CCAC, and the 19th-highest average in the NAIA.
Last Time Out
• Trinity International's four-match unbeaten streak came to an end last weekend, as the Trojans went scoreless over two matches, drawing at Trinity Christian and losing at Olivet Nazarene.
• The back-to-back shutouts mark the first time that Trinity was held off the scoreboard for two straight games since the end of the 2012 season, when TIU lost 1-0 and 3-0 to Trinity Christian in back to back matches, during the CCAC Tournament and NCCAA North Central Regional.
• Senior Liz Burzynski played all 200 mintues in goal during both matches, making a combined 10 saves on the week, and lowering her goals-against average to 1.18 on the season.
In the Polls
• The Trojans improved three spots in the latest NAIA Coaches Poll, up to No. 22. TIU started the season ranked No. 25 in the NAIA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• The ranking gives TIU their third straight campaign in which they were nationally ranked at some point during the season.
• This week's rank is the highest for the Trinity International program since Oct. 9, 2012, when they were also at No. 22.
• The Trojans finished off last season as a nationally-ranked program, finishing the year at No. 25, after their late postseason run through the CCAC Tournament and into the NAIA Opening Round.
• The Trojans jumped three spots in the NCCAA Top 10 national rankings, released last Tuesday, to No. 2. TIU earned 52 points in the poll, and are ranked behind only Spring Arbor (Mich.), who received all six first-place votes in the poll.
• The next poll will be released Tuesday, October 7.
NCCAA Championship Anniversary
• The TIU women's soccer program is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their second NCCAA National Championship, in 2004. The team will be honored with an anniversary sleeve patch on this year's uniforms, and will be recognized during the match against Calumet St. Joseph, as a part of the Homecoming Weekend festivities.
• The Trojans defeated Heritage Christian (Ala.), Cedarville (Ohio), and Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) by a combined score of 7-1 to claim the title.
• Four players (Allison Budden, Kelly Campbell, Jill Barre, Ashleigh Dellos) were named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team; Barre earned Tournament MVP honors, while head coach Patrick Gilliam was named NCCAA National Coach of the Year.
• Trinity has made seven appearances in the NCCAA Tournament in program history, winning twice, in 2004 and 1998. TIU holds a 15-6 record all-time in the tournament.
• To qualify for this year's NCCAA North Central Regional and hope to advance to the national tournament, the Trojans need a winning percentage of .600 or above. This season, that percentage translates to at least 10 wins during the regular season.
Stat Leaders
Team Stats
• As a team, Trinity International leads the CCAC with an average of 3.11 goals per match, and have a conference-high 28 goals on the season. Nationally, the Trojans rank 19th in the NAIA in goals per game, and 33rd in total goals scored.
• TIU also leads the league in assists per game, averaging 2.11 per match. The team ranks 28th in the NAIA, and 36th nationally with 19 total assists.
• The Trojans currently average the second-fewest fouls per match, at 6.89, just behind Friday's opponent, Calumet St. Joseph. Along with Cardinal Stritch, TIU is one of two teams with just one yellow card this season, fewest total in the CCAC.
• Defensively, the Trojans average 1.33 goals allowed per game, the fourth-lowest average in the CCAC. The team's goals-against average of 1.24 ranks fourth in the league, but Trojan goalkeepers have been fairly quiet, averaging just 3.67 saves per match, the second-lowest average in the conference.
• Trinity is one of seven CCAC teams with two or more shutouts this season; Trinity Christan and Olivet Nazarene lead the league with four clean sheets this year.
Individual Stats
• Samantha Yasatan has been one of the strongest offensive players in the nation this season, and ranks 1st in the CCAC in six different statistical categories. The junior tops the conference in shots taken per game (5.78), total shots (52), points (29) and points average (3.22), goals, (14) and goals average (1.56).
• Yasatan also sits 4th in the NAIA in goals per game, 6th in points per game, 7th in total goals and shots on goal per game (3.33), 8th in shots per game, and 10th in total points
• Four Trojans are in the top ten in the CCAC in assists, led by Melissa Loretto, with five (2nd in CCAC). Kathryn Baccash, Morgan Elzinga, and Michele Streekstra all have three assists on the season, good for 6th in the conference.
• Elzinga has recorded four game-winning goals, and has picked up the game-winner in 44% of all matches this season, the third-highest percentage in the NAIA. Her four game-winners ranks 4th nationally, and tops the CCAC.
Scouting the Opponents
St. Xavier
• The Cougars moved ahead of Trinity International in the CCAC standings last week, after picking up four points in a 1-1 draw on the road at Judson, and a 2-0 home win over Purdue Calumet.
• SXU recorded their second shutout in their last three matches on Saturday, but are the 9th-ranked defense in the CCAC, allowing 2.2 goals per game.
• All-CCAC forward Lexi Cozzi leads the team with five goals this season, and is tied for 8th in the CCAC.
• Goalkeeper Alex Perry has the CCAC's sixth-best goals against average, at 1.66, and is 2nd in the league with an .828 save percentage. The sophomore ranks 30th in the NAIA and 3rd in the league with 6.63 saves per game.
• The Cougars lead the series over TIU since 2007, 5-3-2, but the Trojans have gone unbeaten in their last four meetings.
Calumet St. Joseph
• The Crimson Wave have struggled as of late, losing six of their last seven matches, but CCSJ secured a 4-0 win on the road at Holy Cross last week.
• Calumet St. Joseph ranks 6th in the CCAC with 2.00 goals per game. They have the conference's 8th-lowest goals allowed average, giving up 1.91 scores each match.
• Three players; Carly Bermes, Sandra Narvaez, and Patty Diaz lead the team with three goals on the year. Amy Gasiorowski has seen the bulk of the season in goal, and has a 1.94 goals-against average with 32 saves.
• The Trojans have gone unbeaten against Calumet St. Joseph in all seven matches dating back to 2007, but the Crimson Wave picked up a point at home against TIU last season.
Good Sports
• For the third straight season, the Trinity International women's soccer team earned the CCAC Karl Boeck Conference Champions of Character Team Award. The team honor goes to the squad that displays the best sportsmanship throughout the season in the CCAC.
• Currently, Trinity is one of two programs with the longest streak without a red card in the CCAC, and along with Trinity Christian, have gone five full seasons since seeing one of their players sent off.
