FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Oct. 16, 2014)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's soccer team clashes with a pair of regionally-ranked opponents with Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season title hopes hanging in the balance while the Ranger men face a nationally-ranked opponent this weekend as both squads open up a three-game homestand on Friday at Wood Road Field.
 
The Ranger men welcome Truman State to Wood Road Field on Friday for a 1:15 p.m. showdown while facing 10th-ranked Quincy University on Sunday at noon. For the 12th-ranked Ranger women, the GLVC leading squad faces second place Truman State on Friday at 3:30 p.m. before taking on Quincy on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Live stats will be available for all four games.

Jersey Day: Children 14 and under will receive complimentary admission to Sunday's doubleheader by wearing their favorite soccer jersey. In addition to free admission to kids wearing jerseys, all fans in attendance will receive a Ranger megaphone courtesy of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints, the official sports medicine provider of the Parkside Rangers.
 
About the UW-Parkside men's soccer team: The Rangers (7-6, 4-6 GLVC) continue to jockey for GLVC Tournament positioning, sitting a half-game out of eighth place for the final spot in the postseason. UW-Parkside traveled to Saint Louis last weekend, emerging from the Show Me State with a split.
 
The Rangers scored three times in the second half to down host Maryville University 4-1 on Oct. 10 before falling 2-1 to the University of Missouri-Saint Louis on Sunday. Against the Saints, Antonio Gonzalez netted the eventual game-winner in the 49th minute off a Mathew Yang assist. Yang assisted on the Rangers third goal in the 60th minute before converting a penalty kick in the 85th minute for the final 4-1 count.
 
Against the Tritons, the Rangers grabbed the lead in the 31st minute off an Abraham Kanneh header but yielded the equalizing goal one second before halftime. UMSL netted the game winner four minutes before time expired for the 2-1 win.
 
Offensively, Antonio Gonzalez leads the Green and White in both assists (six) and points (18) and sits tied for second on the team in goals (six). Gonzalez's six helpers rank him 14th nationally in total assists. Nemanja Medic leads the team in scoring with seven goals and is second in points (17) while Abraham Kanneh has six goals in 2014. Jorge Ontiveros has found the back of the net on four occasions while Elliott Schultz has three goals and two assists. Ryan Shogren is second on the team with four assists while 15 Rangers have tallied at least a point this season.
 
Between the posts, Marcos Perez has started 12 of the team's 13 games, logging 50 saves with a goals against average of 1.36. The Rangers' defense has pitched four shutouts on the season, including two in GLVC play.
 
As a team, the Rangers rank in the top 15 in five statistical categories. Parkside ranks sixth in NCAA Division II in total points (94), seventh in total goals (34), 11th in scoring offense (2.62), 12 in total assists (26) and 13th in points per game (7.23).
 
About the Bulldogs: Truman State (5-6-1, 4-5-1 GLVC) sits one spot ahead of the Rangers in the league table, having dropped two of its last three games. The Bulldogs crushed Saint Joseph's College 4-0 last Friday before stumbling 2-0 to the University of Indianapolis on Sunday, yielding both scores in a five-minute stretch.
 
Corey Nolte is TSU's leading offensive threat, pacing the team in goals (four), assists (two) and points (10). Brandon Visonnavong is the only other Bulldog with more than one goal as 11 different players have netted a goal in 2014.
 
Drew Garrone has started all 12 games in goal for the Bulldogs, making 35 saves and sporting a goals against average of 1.15.
 
About the Hawks: 10th-ranked Quincy (12-0-1, 9-0-1 GLVC) sits atop the league standings as the only unbeaten squad remaining. The Hawks edged UIndy 1-0 on Friday, collecting a goal in the 80th minute from Ethan Venvertloh before running roughshod over Saint Joseph's on Sunday afternoon, belting the Pumas 9-0.
 
Quincy's only draw was a 1-1 decision on Oct. 5 against William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. In that game the host Cardinals netted a goal in the fifth minute but the Hawks battled back, equalizing the score in the 89th minute to force overtime.
 
Jordan Roberts has scored 13 goals on the season, averaging a goal a game to lead the team with also netting five assists this year. Xhovani Dokai has 10 goals and six assists while Artan Emini has five goals and five assists. Taylor Reis is the team's leader in assist with seven on the season.
 
Goalkeeper Drew Duncan has played all 1,209 minutes this season, making 41 saves and posting a goals against average of 0.37. Duncan and the Hawk defense has pitched 10 shutouts on the season, with eight coming in GLVC play.
 
GLVC Preseason Poll: UW-Parkside was picked to finish 11th in the annual GLVC Preseason Coaches' Poll released on August 27. The Rangers tallied 75 points in the rankings, falling 30 points shy of 10th place Truman State University. University of Indianapolis sits atop the rankings, claiming 213 points and eight of the 16 first place votes. Quincy University had four first place votes and sits second followed by Rockhurst in third place with three first place nods. Lewis University rounds out the top four with 189 points and the remaining first place endorsement.
 
Around the World: The Rangers' roster features three international student-athletes, including Remi Bibal from Toulouse, France, Kawsu Samba from Banjul, Gambia, and Szymon Owczarek from Gdansk, Poland.

Z is for Zitzke: Jason Zitzke enters his 16th season as a member of the coaching staff and his fourth season as head coach. During that span, the UW-Parkside graduate and 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee owns a 171-98-24 record, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament and one GLVC Championship (2000).
 
GLVC Player of the Week: UW-Parkside has had two players secure GLVC Player of the Week honors this season. Antonio Gonzalez was named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 8 after scoring four goals and three assists in just two games while Marcos Perez was the GLVC Defender of the Week on Sept. 29.
 
Perez was additionally named the NSCAA Disney Soccer Player of the Week on Sept. 30 after collecting a pair of shutouts, including a 12-save outing on Sept. 26 as the short-staffed Rangers held off host University of Southern Indiana 1-0.
 
About the UW-Parkside women's soccer team:  The 12th-ranked Rangers (10-0-2, 8-0-2 GLVC) sit atop the conference standings having blanked the last three squads they've faced. UW-Parkside edged McKendree University 1-0 on Oct. 5 at Wood Road Field before hitting the road and posting wins over Maryville University (2-0) and University of Missouri-Saint Louis (4-0).
 
The Rangers and Saints were scoreless at the half before getting goals by Kelsey Armour and Taylor Schiffer-Jander. Two days later against UMSL, Karley Mecko scored two header goals of corner kicks in the squad's 4-0 blowout win.
 
Mecko leads the Rangers in both goals (seven) and points (14) on the season while Emily Konior has five goals and a pair of assists. Niekie Pellens leads the GLVC and ranks fifth nationally in assists with nine on the season while Jillian Hetfleisch, Bailey Reed, Taylor Schiffer-Jander and Kelsey Armour all have at least three goals on the season while a total of 12 Rangers have tallied at least one goal this season.
 
In goal, Mallory Geurts has played all but three minutes this season, making 25 saves while leading the nation with a goals against average of 0.16. Geurts and the defensive backline have posted shutouts in 10 of the 12 games this season, leading the country in both team goals against average (0.161) and shutout percentage (0.833).
 
About the Bulldogs: Truman (10-2-1, 8-1-1 GLVC) heads to Somers riding a six match unbeaten streak (5-0-1) and sit a half game back in second place in the GLVC standings. The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a 10-1 margin during its recent string of success, collecting shutout wins over Drury University (2-0) on Sept. 26, Missouri University S&T (2-0) on Sept. 28, William Jewell College (1-0) on Oct. 3, and Indianapolis (2-0) on Oct. 12.
 
Truman's lone setback in league play was a 2-0 setback to Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky on Sept. 21. The Bulldogs, ranked sixth in the Midwest Region, own a perfect 8-0 mark in home and neutral site contests but are just 2-2-1 in true away games this season.
 
Alexis Heffernan leads the team in scoring (eight) and points (13) while Megan Frkovic is second on the team in scoring with three goals on the year. Melanie Hunt leads the team in assists with four while Haffernan and Caitlyn Stephen each have three on the season.
 
Nicole Sparks has started nine of the team's 13 games in goal this season, making 29 saves and owning a goals against average of 0.88. Katie Mattingly has made four starts between the posts, logging 19 saves. The two netminders have combined for eight shutouts on the season while the Bulldogs have allowed just eight goals all season.
 
About the Hawks: Quincy (7-4-2, 6-2-2 GLVC), ranked 10th in the Midwest Region, collected a pair of shutouts last weekend at home, earning a win and a scoreless tie. The defending league champs settled for a 0-0 double overtime draw against Indianapolis last Friday before downing St. Joseph's 2-0 on Sunday.
 
The Hawks have yielded just two goals over the last six games, claiming five shutouts during that stretch. Three of QU's four losses have on the road with the Hawks going just 1-3-1 this season in away games.
 
Haylye Markway leads the Quincy offense with four goals while Ashley Burton leads the team in points with three goals and three assists.
 
In goal, Megan Swanson has played all 1,218 minutes, recording 62 saves and collecting nine shutouts with a goals against average of 0.67.
 
GLVC Prognostications: The Rangers were picked to finish fifth in the annual GLVC Coaches' Preseason Poll, released on August 28. UW-Parkside tallied 185 points, falling one point shy of fourth place Bellarmine University. Defending GLVC Champion Quincy University accrued 14 first place votes to snag the top spot followed by Truman State University in second and Rockhurst University in third.
 
16 and Counting: Under head coach Troy Fabiano the Rangers have experienced 16 straight winning seasons a streak spanning all the way back to 1999, Fabiano's second year as coach. He currently owns a 214-73-28 career mark at UW-Parkside, making seven NCAA appearances and winning four GLVC Championships.
 
The Rangers clinched its 16th straight winning campaign with a 2-0 win over Maryville University on Oct. 10.

Four and Counting: UW-Parkside has made the NCAA Tournament the past four seasons and five of the last six years. The Rangers have qualified for the Big Dance in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2004 and 2003. The Rangers advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament in 2008 while making an appearance in the Sweet 16 in 2012 and 2010. UW-Parkside has advanced past the first round every time except for an opening round exit in 2003. The Rangers are 7-7-1 all-time in NCAA games.
 
Home Sweet Home: The Rangers have been nearly invincible at home in recent years, post­ing a 37-1-6 record over the last 44 games at Wood Road Field. The lone loss in that stretch was a 3-2 defeat to Rockhurst on Oct. 28, 2012 in the GLVC Tournament. UW-Parkside hasn't lost a regular season home game since falling 1-0 to Saginaw Valley State University in the 2010 season opener on Sept. 2 and hasn't dropped a regular season GLVC contest at Wood Road Field since suffering a 1-0 setback to the University of Indianapolis on October 2, 2009.
 
GLVC Player of the Week: Three Rangers have collected GLVC Defender of the Week honors this season. Karley Mecko claimed the honor on Sept. 8, helping the Rangers allow just one shot on goal in a pair of non-conference shutout wins. Fellow defender Emily Konior claimed the accolade on Sept. 22 after collecting a pair of road wins, including a big 2-1 victory over then No. 20 Rockhurst University. Niekie Pellens became the third Ranger to claim the defensive accolade, securing the honor on Oct. 13 after a pair of road shutouts.
 
Konior was additionally named the NSCAA Disney Soccer Player of the Week on Sept. 23. She became the second women's soccer player to land the honor since the award was created at the start of the 2013 season. Goalie Mallory Geurts won National Player of the Week on Oct. 8, 2013.
 
RangerNation: The 2014 UW-Parkside women's soccer roster features 27 student-athletes from eight different states and one foreign country. The Rangers hail from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, California, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Florida and the Netherlands.