BOISE STATE GAME NOTES

CHENEY, Wash. – The Eastern Washington University soccer team opens up its 2019 season with back-to-back away matches as the Eagles travel to Nevada on Aug. 22 and Boise State on Aug. 25. The match against the Wolf Pack starts at 5:30 p.m. on the Moana Springs Sports Complex in Reno, Nev., and the match against the Broncos will begin at 12 p.m. Pacific time in Boise, Idaho.

HOW TO WATCH

Nevada will not be streaming the match, but fans can follow the live stats Here. The Boise State match will be streamed on the Mountain West Digitial Network and live stats are available Here.

LAST TIME OUT

After two great performances at home, the Eagles look for more success this week going into their first regular season match. In their first two exhibition matches, EWU took down Fraser Valley (6-2) and Grant MacEwan (4-2) with Sariah Keister scoring two goals in each match. The Eagles had six different players score in the last two exhibitions matches with five players recording at least one assist.

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES

The Eagles are coached by Chad Bodnar who begins his sixth year at the helm. Returning staff for the Eagles include associate head coach Pete Showler, his second year at Eastern, and assistant coach Mackenzie German for her first year at Eastern. The Eagles also welcome back Rich Cullen, his fourth season as the volunteer goalkeeping coach, to the staff as they all look to contribute their knowledge of the sport to the team.

RETURNERS

After losing 15 players, including leading goal scorer Jenny Chavez, the Eagles returns six starters including goalkeeper Kelsee Winston. EWU returns starters McKaley Goffard, Janae Lee, Grace Klinkenberg, Colby Wilson and Taylor Matheny.

Winston appeared in 19 games, making 17 starts and was awarded Big Sky Player of the Week twice last season. She notched a career-high eight saves in a victory over Southern Utah on Oct. 21, 2018.

Goffard, Klinkenberg  and Matheny each competed in 18 matches while Lee and Wilson competed in 19 during the 2018 season. Klinkenberg received Honorable Mention All-Big Sky as a freshman and helped anchor the backline that produced a program-record nine shutouts in 2017.

The Eagles also return forwards Sariah Keister, Kaelyn Barnes, Megan Drake, Saige Lyons, and Brooke Dunbar. Lyons and Dunbar serve as the Eagles only two senior field players this year as Dunbar scored two goals and Lyons scored three goals for Eastern last season. Drake also scored two goals last season while Keister scored one goal and had one assist.

Eastern welcomes back defenders Brooke Asbury, Mya Elder-Hammond, Brittany Delridge and Vanessa Jones as well as senior goalkeepers Ryann Rydeen and Hadley Bezon.

Returning redshirts Mareonna Henderson and Kendall Pope look to contribute to the team as forwards for the Eagles.

THE NEWCOMERS

The Eagles look forward to the 2019 season as they welcome ten newcomers to the program and all are expected to help the team soar into the new season.

The new Eagles include midfielder Riley Walkington, midfielder Kalista Kakou, midfielder Madison Kem, forward Maddie Morgan, forward Brooke Flores, defender Alyssa McKenzie, midfielder Corina Froehle and defender Elizabeth Thayer.

Bodnar and his team also welcome sophomore defender Marissa Mills, transfer from Utah Valley, and junior forward Audrey Castillo from Ventura Community College to the program.

KNOWING YOUR OPPONENT: NEVADA

Nevada is coached by Erin Otagaki who is coming off her second season as the head coach and her fifth season at Nevada. Otagaki led Nevada to its second best start in program history with a 3-0-1 record in 2018.

Otagaki has a career record of 5-31-2 at Nevada with a 4-13-2 record in 2018. The Wolf Pack welcomes back seven starters and recruit nine newcomers. Their conference play kicks off on Sept. 27 with a home match against Boise State at 6:30 p.m.

Sophomore forwards Payton Lieb and Kylie Minamishin return for the Wolf Pack as Lieb earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week and Minamishin was named to the MWC All-Newcomer team.

ALL-TIME SERIES: NEVADA

Eastern is 2-2-1 all-time against Nevada and this match will serve as the second time Bodnar has faced the Wolf Pack. In 2018, EWU was victorious over Nevada in a 4-0 match that took place at home. This year, the match will be away at Nevada's home field as Eastern travels to Reno, Nev. This will serve as Nevada's first match of the season before they face University of the Pacific on Aug. 25 in Stockton Calif. 

KNOWING YOUR OPPONENT: BOISE STATE

Boise State is coached under Jim Thomas who is heading into his seventh season at the helm of the Bronco women's soccer program and coming off two of the most successful seasons in program history in 2017 and 2018.

Thomas, who was named the 2018 Mountain West Coach of the Year, returns senior forward Raimee Sherle who received Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season. Junior midfielder McKenna Kynett also returns for the Broncos as she recorded seven goals and four assists for Boise State in 2018.

ALL-TIME SERIES: BOISE STATE

The Eagles are 1-11-1 all-time against Boise State, but this match also serves as only the second time Bodnar has faced the Broncos. In 2018, Boise State traveled to the EWU Soccer Field and defeated the Eagles 2-0. This year, EWU travels to Boise, Idaho, for BSU's second match of the season with their first match being on Aug. 23 versus Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.

SEASON-OPENING MATCH

The 2019 year marks the 22nd season for women's soccer at Eastern Washington. EWU is 6-14-1 all-time in season openers, but have won their last four season opening matches. This match serves as the first opener on the road since 2015 when the Eagles traveled to El Paso, Texas, to face UTEP for a 2-1 victory.

BODNAR'S RISE TO THE TOP

Sitting at an overall record of 57-32-11 (.625) after five complete seasons at the helm, Bodnar has the chance to become the all-time winningest coach in EWU soccer history in 2019. He's chasing former head coach George Hageage (2000-13) who has an all-time record of 69-157-20 (.321) after 14 full seasons.

The Eagles would need to secure 12 wins for him to tie Hageage and 13 for him to pass. Bodnar has led his Eagles to at least 12 wins in three out of his five seasons as head coach, including a 16-win season in 2017. He finished the 2018 season with a winning record of 8-8-3 and advanced to the Big Sky Conference Tournament for the fifth-straight year.

NEXT UP

The Eagles return home on Aug. 30 for their first home match of the season versus Mississippi State. EWU has ten away games and eight home games which consist of a home match against Colorado State on Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. on the EWU Soccer Field, followed by an away match versus CSU Bakersfield on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.

The Eagles will be on the road for their next three matches following CSU Bakersfield competing against CSUN, South Dakota State and South Dakota before returning home on Sept. 20 to face North Dakota State to conclude non-conference play.