DAYTON - The University of Dayton women's soccer team will open the home portion of its 2024 schedule Wednesday as it plays host to Cleveland State. Kickoff between the Flyers and Vikings is set for 7 p.m. at Baujan Field and admission is free.
ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (1-0) opened the 2024 season with a 2-1 win at Loyola Maryland on Thursday. The Flyers have won six of their last seven season openers after drawing with Toledo, 2-2, in 2022. Freshman
Liv Grenda recorded her first career goal in the 11' minute of match to notch UD's first goal of the season. Four Flyers played all 90 minutes of game one, including junior
Kyra Karfonta who scored the game winner on a PK.
SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
Cleveland State (0-1) dropped a 2-1 decision at Kent State on the opening day of the season, the Vikings first game under new head coach Mark Sappington. CSU's Madison Ott made her collegiate debut in goal, collecting 11 saves over 90 minutes of action, and Mayra Sesmas netted the Vikings lone goal of the match.
SERIES STUFF
This is the first meeting between Dayton and Cleveland State.
FLYER FACTS
•
Eric Golz is in his eighth season as head coach of the Flyers in 2024. His record at Dayton is 73-45-16 (.604) and his career win-loss mark sits at 93-61-21 (.591) 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.
• 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)
2024 ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON POLL AND ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Dayton was chosen to finish second in the 2024 Atlantic 10 Conference's annual Preseason Poll, behind 12th-ranked Saint Louis, as announced on Aug. 14 ahead of the start of the regular season. The Flyers are led by Preseason All-Conference members midfielder
Diana Benigno and defender
Kyra Karfonta. Benigno led the Flyers in assists on the season with six, finishing in a tie for third in the league. Benigno was named A-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Week during the season after scoring the game-tying goal at Saint Louis and registering an assist against Davidson. Karfonta registered three goals and an assist for seven total points last season and was a key member of the Dayton defense that posted 11 shutouts on the season.
#A10WSOC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman
Liv Grenda claimed the Atlantic 10's first Rookie of the Week honor on Monday after scoring the Flyer's first goal of the season on Aug. 15. She scored her first career goal in the 11' minute of Dayton's 2-1 win at Loyola Maryland Thursday. The Perkasi, Pa., native led the team with four shots, three of which were on goal, and played 66 minutes in her collegiate debut.
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