DAYTON - The University of Dayton women's soccer team is set to host Massachusetts Wednesday night in the semifinal round of the 2024 Atlantic 10 Championship. The second-seeded Flyers and third-seeded Minutewomen will get underway at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at UD's Baujan Field. Admission is free.

ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (14-3-2) is making its fifth-consecutive appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinal round Wednesday after defeating VCU in Friday's first-round matchup. The Flyers are led by senior Noel Blain and freshman Laney Smith with nine goals apiece while graduate student Diana Benigno and junior Kyra Karfonta has dished out six assists each. In goal, junior Batoul Reda has recorded a career-high 11 shutouts (5th NCAA) with a 0.89 GAA and 56 saves.

SCOUTING MASSACHUSETTS
UMass (12-4-3) dispatched Loyola Chicago, 1-0, in its quarterfinal match on Friday and the Minutewomen are advancing to the A-10 Semifinals for the seventh time in 21 appearances in the postseason tournament. Bella Recinos has netted nine goals, including four game-winners, on 42 shots to lead the team on offense. Goalkeeper Bella Mendoza has tallied nine clean sheets and carries a 1.00 GAA with 56 saves.

SERIES STUFF
Dayton Leads, 23-5-1
The Flyers and Minutewomen squared off earlier this season in Amherst as Dayton came away with a 3-2 win, bringing UD's win streak to four in the all-time series. The last time Massachusetts picked up a win against Dayton was at Baujan Field on Oct. 21, 2018, a 2-0 victory for UMass.

LAST TIME OUT
Second-seeded Dayton kicked off the program's 29th appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship on Friday, knocking out visiting #7 VCU by a 1-0 margin at Baujan Field. Freshman Laney Smith scored the game-winner for the Flyers, her team-high-tying ninth goal of the season, in the 11' to secure the victory. Dayton doubled up VCU in the shots category, getting off 19 shots to the Rams' nine

FLYER FACTS
• Eric Golz is in his eighth season as head coach of the Flyers in 2024. His record at Dayton is 86-48-18 (.625) and his career win-loss mark sits at 106-64-23 (.609) over a total of 10 seasons. Golz has tallied the program's second-most wins, behind Mike Tucker who had 313 wins over 22 seasons (1995-2016) at Dayton.
• For the third-consecutive week, freshman Laney Smith was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week on Monday, Oct. 28, claiming the league's final weekly honor of the season. Smith played a total of 147 minutes over Dayton's final two regular-season games, earning her first career start in the finale against Saint Louis. For the season, Dayton claimed a total of six conference weekly honors.
• Dayton has won the Atlantic 10 Regular Season title 11 times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013). The Flyers have captured the A-10 Championship title 10 times (1996, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016). Over 28 appearances in the A-10 Tournament, UD has tallied a 34-11-5 record in the conference postseason championship.
• The Flyers finished the 2023 season with a 13-2-5 overall record and a 7-0-3 conference mark, finishing in third place in regular-season play.
• Top returners: Diana Benigno (Gr., MF), Noel Blain (Sr., F), Kyra Karfonta (Jr., D), Ella Raimondi (Jr., D/MF), Batoul Reda (Jr., GK).

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