University of Delaware Athletics
Hens Return to Action with Games at Seton Hall, Siena (Aug. 30, 2012)
8/30/2012 3:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Siena Game Center: Live Stats
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware women's soccer program will continue its non-conference schedule with a pair of road matches against Seton Hall University and Siena University over the weekend.
Delaware (0-1) will first square off against Seton Hall (4-0) on Friday, August 31 at 4:00 p.m. at SHU's Owen T. Carroll Field then battle the Siena (0-2) on Sunday, September 2 at 2:30 p.m. at Siena Field.
“The team is very excited to get back on the field and play outside competition,” Delaware woman's soccer head coach Scott Grzenda said. “We've been working hard and progressing every day, so now it's time to put what we do every day into a game situation.”
It has been 19 days since the Blue Hens last played competitively, a 2-0 loss to Georgetown at Delaware Mini Stadium. Senior Tania Domingos led Delaware with four shots on goal in the season-opening loss. During the 2011 season, Delaware registered a 4-4-1 record on the road.
Friday's match will mark the fifth time since 2004 that Delaware has faced Seton Hall as the Blue Hens have posted a 2-0-2 record against the Pirates. The last time the two schools faced each other was in 2007, when UD defeated SHU 1-0.
“Seton Hall is a very tough Big East opponent, especially at home, however I know that if we play well, it will be a great game,” said Grzenda. “We play them in the spring so it was nice to finally get them on the regular season schedule.”
The Pirates are on a four-game winning streak to begin the 2012 campaign and have outscored their opponents, 8-0. Seton Hall head coach Kazbek Tambi returns 18 letter winners, who are coming off the Priates' best record (9-8-3) since 1999. With six goals, forward Katie Ritter leads all SHU's returning players in scoring.
The Blue Hens have only faced Siena once when UD punched a 4-1 victory over the Saints in 2012. Siena is looking for its first win of the season after losing to Rhode Island and Rutgers to begin the 2012 season.
“Siena is all about our mental game,” said Grzenda. “We make the long trip up to Albany on Saturday so we'll need to be focused and come out strong against a very good and organized Siena squad.”
Head coach Steve Karbowski and the Saints have 16 letter winners and four starters returning after posting a 7-7-3 record and seventh-place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Forward Caitlin Cahalan is Siena's leading scorer after she punched in five goals with four assists while starting in all 17 games a year ago.
Following the weekend, the Blue Hens continue their non-conference schedule with another road-trip weekend by traveling to Loyola (MD) University on Friday, September 7th at 7 p.m. and battle in-state rival, Delaware State University, on Sunday, September 9th at 1 p.m.
