Women's Soccer 11/9/2018 10:52:00 AM

RADFORD HEADS TO COUNTRY ROADS FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT MATCHUP WITH WEST VIRGINIA

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Radford women's soccer team hits the road to take on No. 8 West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Dick Dlesk Stadium on Saturday at 4 p.m.

SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: No. 8 West Virginia
Location: Morgantown, W.Va. (Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium)
Time: 4 p.m.

ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Radford and West Virginia will meet for the third time in program history. The Highlanders and Mountaineers meet in 2003 at Cupp Stadium and 2004 in Morgantown. WVU won both matches 5-0.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
Radford enters with a 16-2-1 record. The 16 wins tie a program record, which was set in 1997. The Highlanders have outscored their opponents 44-16 and are averaging 2.32 goals per game. Radford ranks first in the Big South Conference in shots (376), goals (44), assists (38), points (120), goals allowed (16), goals against average (0.84) and shutouts (10). Jasmine Casarez paces the Big South with 105 shots (5.61 per game). Nelia Perez tops the conference with 0.56 assists per game and 10 total. Courtenay Kaplan has eight shutouts with a 0.85 goals against average - both lead the Big South.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
As team the Highlanders rank inside the top 30 nationally in 10 different categories. The best is their win percentage, which ranks fifth in the nation at 0.868. Radford ranks inside the top 10 nationally in shots per game and shots on goal per game. The Highlanders have shot 19.58 shots per contest, which ranks sixth and have landed 9.32 on goal - ranking seventh. Individually, Casarez is second in shots per game (5.53), third in game-winning goals (7.0), 15th in total goals (13), 18th in shots on goal per game (2.26) and 24th in goals per game (0.68). Perez has 10 assists on the season, which ranks 13th in the country. Jessica Wollmann has landed 2.32 shots on goal - good for 16th in the nation and ranks 35th in the nation in shot accuracy (61.1 percent of shots on goal).

W1NN1NG STREAK
Radford is currently boasting an 11-match win streak, which is the second longest in program history and the most in a single-season. The Highlanders won a combined 13 in a row during the 1992 and 1993 seasons. During the winning streak, Radford has outscored its competition 24-5, outshot its opponents 256-130 and posted seven shutouts - six in a row. In the first half alone, the Highlanders have held the opposition to just one goal. Eight different players have notched a goal in the streak, with five having more than one.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Radford has started to garner some national respect around the NCAA Soccer world. The Highlanders rank 10th in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll Southeast Region, which came out Nov. 5. Radford is the only school outside the SEC to rank inside the top 10.

LAST TIME OUT
The dream season became a reality the last team the team took the field. The Highlanders claimed their sixth Big South Tournament Championship in program history with a 1-0 victory over Gardner-Webb. Perez and Kaplan came up clutch in the early moments of the match as Perez scored the game-winning goal and Kaplan made a clutch save on a penalty kick just three minutes later.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
No. 8 West Virginia won three straight matches in the Big 12 Tournament to claim the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. With a 14-4-2 record their only losses came to No. 4 Penn State, No. 11 Georgetown, No. 24 Baylor and Kansas. The Mountaineers rank seventh in the nation in goals-against average (.505) and third in shots per game (21.67). Goalkeeper Rylee Foster boasts 10 shutotuts – ranking eighth nationally – and a .512 goals against average, which ranks 12^th. Offensively, WVU is led by Sh'Nia Gordon. She leads a team that has 14 different goal scorers with seven goals, two assists and 16 points.

FOLLOW WOMEN'S SOCCER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford women's soccer team follow @RadfordWSOC on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Soccer on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Jasmine Casarez: MF; 5' 7"; Senior; Legends FC

#1 Courtenay Kaplan: GK; 5' 6"; Junior; Loudoun 98 Red

#11 Nelia Perez: F; 5' 2"; Junior; Newport News FC, Chesapeake FC, Churchland SL

#12 Jessica Wollmann: F; 5' 6"; Senior; New River United

Players Mentioned

#15 Jasmine Casarez
: 5' 7"; Senior; Legends FC
: MF

#1 Courtenay Kaplan
: 5' 6"; Junior; Loudoun 98 Red
: GK

#11 Nelia Perez
: 5' 2"; Junior; Newport News FC, Chesapeake FC, Churchland SL
: F

#12 Jessica Wollmann
: 5' 6"; Senior; New River United
: F