DAYTON – The University of Dayton women's soccer team will continue Atlantic 10 Conference play this week, as they return home to face LaSalle and Davidson this week. Thursday's match against LaSalle will be the first home A-10 match for UD, who opened the conference season on Sunday with a 1-0 loss at Saint Louis.
 
The Flyers enter play this week with a 3-4-2 overall record, and a 0-1-0 record in the Atlantic 10. Sunday's conference-opening match against Saint Louis was a well-balanced affair, with both teams holding 50% of the possession for the match as a whole. The Flyers surrendered a late penalty kick to the Billikens in the 80^th minute, which allowed Saint Louis to come away with the 1-0 victory. Dayton has struggled scoring as of late, netting just one goal in their last three matches total. Defense has been a strong suit for the Flyers early on, averaging exactly 1.00 goals allowed per game in nine matches, including three shutouts.
 
Junior Marlee Taylor continues to be the goals leader for the Flyers this season, with four goals in the team's first two matches of the regular season Aug. 19 and 22. Taylor still leads the Atlantic 10 in shots on goal, averaging two per game at 18 in nine matches played. Noel Blain is the second leading points-scorer for Dayton, as her two goals and one assist leave her with five points. Madelyn Dewey ranks fourth among Atlantic 10 goalkeepers with a .914 goals against average while starting all nine regular season matches.
 
SCOUTING LASALLE
The Explorers enter Thursday's match with a 2-4-2 overall record on the season, and an 0-0-1 record after opening the Atlantic 10 schedule with a 1-1 draw against Fordham on Sunday. LaSalle averages just under a goal per game at 0.75, and surrenders almost two per contest, at 1.88. The Explorers play a physical brand of soccer, with nine yellow cards on the season in just eight matches played.
 
The LaSalle offense is led by junior Emily Banashefski, who is the only multiple goal-scorer on the Explorer roster with two on the season to go along with two assists. Sophomore Kelli McGroarty leads the Explorers with nine shots on goal for the season, although she has not netted a goal in the seven matches she has seen action, including four starts.

SCOUTING DAVIDSON
The Wildcats will take the trip north to Dayton this week, following hosting their first A-10 home match Thursday against Saint Joseph's. Davidson currently boasts a 4-4-1 record on the season, but an 0-1-0 record to begin Atlantic 10 play, following a 1-0 loss to Rhode Island on the road Sunday. Defense has been a strength of the Wildcats early in the season, averaging less than a goal allowed per game at 0.89. Offense has been tough to find, however, as the Wildcats have been shut out five times (0-4-1) in nine matches, and average just a goal per match.
 
The Wildcats have three multiple-goal scorers on the season, including Aleia Gisolfi-McCready, Emma Nguyen, and Riley Patton. These three girls account for six of the team's nine goals this season, with two each. Gisolfi-McCready leads all Wildcats with five points, with an assist to compliment her two goals. Sophia Caruso is tied for second in points with four, assisting on two goals and adding a goal of her own. Goalkeeper Mary Grace Bunch has started all but one match for the Wildcats, and holds a 0.76 goals against average and a 0.774 save percentage.
 
UP NEXT
The Flyers will alternate home and road matches for the remainder of the season after this short, two-match home stand, starting with a road contest at Saint Joseph's next Thursday, Sept. 30. Dayton then returns home to face George Mason at home on Oct 3.