Opening Kick
The Youngstown State women's soccer team (2-4-2, 0-0 HL) opens the 2024 Horizon League slate with a pair of road contest in Michigan beginning with a league contest against Detroit Mercy, Thursday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Titan Field in Detroit, Mich., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The Series
This is the 27th meeting between Youngstown State and Detroit Mercy in a series that began in 2000. The Titans own s 23-3 advantage in the all-time series and have won the two contests. The last time the Penguins defeated the Titans was a 2-1 victory in 2019 at Farmers National Bank Field. Youngstown State has never won in Detroit.
About The Titans
The Titans enter their league opener with an overall record of 2-6 and are coming off a 3-0 loss to Western Michigan on Sept. 8. Abbey Lodato and Erica Toupin lead the Titans with three goals apiece while Lodato has a team-best seven points.
Up Next
The Penguins visit Horizon League foe Oakland, Sunday, Sept. 22, at 1 p.m.
Felder Nets First Career Goal
Redshirt freshman Sara Felder became the sixth Youngstown State player to score a goal this season with her first career goal in the Penguins' 2-1 loss to Duquesne on Sept. 15. She scored in the 57th minute to tie the game at 1-1 from an assist from Taylor Berry.
Naimoli Tallies Career High
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Maya Naimoli continues to impress in the net. Naimoli set a career high with nine saves against Duquesne on Sept. 15. She faced a total of 27 shots and 12 shots on goal.
Berry Nearing Charts
Junior Taylor Berry is quickly nearing the YSU all-time goals scored top 10 list after scoring her ninth career goal with a score against Saint Franics (Pa.) on Aug. 22. She needs one more goal to move into a tie for 10th place and two more to move into a tie for eighth. Berry has also scored a total of 24 career points and needs just two more to move into a tie for 10th on the career points chart. She has six total points in 2024 with two goals and two assists.
Holy Naimoli
Maya Naimoli has been one of the top goalkeepers in the Horizon League in 2024. She leads the league in goals-against average (1.25), save percentage (.815), saves (44), and ranks second in saves per game (5.50).
Gretz, Naimoli Sweep Horizon League POW Awards
Youngstown State midfielder Tatum Gretz and goalkeeper Maya Naimoli swept the Under Armour Horizon League Women's Soccer weekly awards, the league announced on Tuesday.
Gretz was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week while Naimoli was named the Defensive Player of the Week. It's the first career weekly award for both players, and it marks just the second time in program history that Youngstown State swept the Horizon League weekly awards. The first and only other time was on Aug. 27, 2012.
Gretz, a Mount Pleasant, Pa. native, led the Penguins to a 1-0-1 record last week after tying Canisius, 1-1, and defeating George Washington, 1-0. Gretz scored her first career goal against the Golden Griffins in the draw. Her goal tied the game in the 63rd minute. In the Penguins in over GW, Gretz delivered the assist on Elis Klein Spindola's game-winning goal.
Naimoli, who hails from Wayne, Pa., led the Penguins to a 1-0-1 record last week after tying Canisius, 1-1, and defeating George Washington, 1-0. Naimoli tallied six saves and faced 22 shots in the draw against Canisius on Aug. 29.
Tarzi Finds the Net
Senior Elis Klein Spindola scored her first goal and game winner of the season in the Penguins' 1-0 victory over George Washington on Sept. 1. Klein Spindola beat the GW defenders to a through ball and chipped a shot over the goalkeeper for the game-clinching score. Klein Spindola has scored eight goals with four assists for a total of 20 points during career with YSU.
Gretz Nets First Career Goal
Tatum Gretz scored her first career goal when the Penguins needed it the most. Trailing 1-0 at Canisius, Gretz crushed a left-footed one-timer to the top-left corner to tie the game at 1-1 in the 63rd minute.
Naimoli Starting Strong
Youngstown State goalkeeper Maya Naimoli is off to a tremendous start in her young career. Through her first five games, Naimoli leads the Horizon League with a 1.00 goals-against average and is tied for the league lead with two shutouts. Naimoli also ranks second in the circuit with an .828 save percentage. She also ranks third in the league with 24 saves.
Brick Wahle
Freshman Teagan Wahle recorded the first goal of her career and it proved to be her first career game winner. Wahle laced a shot from 23-yards out that found the lower-left corner of the net to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Aug. 22.
My Oh, Maya
Redshirt freshman Maya Naimoli picked up a pair of collegiate firsts after the Penguins' 2-0 victory over Saint Francis (Pa.). The Wayne, Pa., native recorded her first career win and posted the first shutout of her career while collecting five saves against the Red Flash.
The Captains
Youngstown State women's soccer Head Coach Brian Shrum announced that graduate student Lianna Van Sice and juniors Taylor Berry and Emma Rigone have been named team captains for the 2024 season.
Van Sice is SO Back
Graduate student Lianna Van is back to her 2023 form after one match played in 2024. She scored the Penguins first goal of the season in the Penguins 2-2 draw against Kent State on Aug. 18. It also marks her third goal in her last 14 games played. Van Sice scored a pair of goals with three assists in just 10 games played in 2023.
Impressive Debut for Naimoli
Redshirt freshman Maya Naimoli turned in an impressive debut in the net for the Penguins soccer program. Naimoli faced 20 shots, including eight on goal, against Kent State on Aug. 18. She posted a career-high six saves in the tie.
What Returns
Youngstown State returns 18 letterwinners and five starters from last year's squad. More importantly, the Penguins return 76.1 percent of their scoring from a season ago. YSU returns its top three scorers and five of its top six. Chloe Weiland led the squad with four goals, three assists and 11 points,
Weiland Had Breakout Campaign
Junior Chloe Weiland had a breakout season for the Penguins in 2023. The Butler, Pa. native totaled four goals, including two game winners, and tied for the team lead with three assists.
Berry Continued Success
Junior Taylor Berry continued her success from year one into year two at YSU. She tallied three goals with three assists. In two years with the Penguins, Berry has scored seven goals with four assists for a total of 18 career points.
Berdiner All-Freshman
Sophomore Emma Berdiner was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team last season after tallying a pair of assists in 2023. Berdiner, Taylor Berry, and Maddie Angelo have been named to the league's all-freshman team during their career.
Program Rising
Youngstown State is coming off the first consecutive 500 seasons in program history after going 9-8-3 in 2022 and 7-7-3 in 2023. The 18 wins over a two-plus year span are also the most in program history.
Returning Scorers
Along with Chloe Weiland and Taylor Berry, the Penguins return six players that scored goals last season. Lianna Van Sice posted a pair of goals and recorded three assists while Elis Klein Spindola and Maddie Keister each tallied two goals. Emma Rigone, Abby Knight, and Marissa Masano also scored goals in 2023.
Penguins Tabbed Fifth in League Preseason Poll
2024 Under Armour #HLWSOC Preseason Poll
Place. Team (First Place Votes) – Points
1. Milwaukee (10) – 120
2. IU Indianapolis – 103
3. Northern Kentucky – 100
4. Wright State – 71
5. Youngstown State (1) – 65
6. RMU – 60
7. Oakland – 59
8. Detroit Mercy – 54
9. Purdue Fort Wayne – 44
10. Cleveland State – 32
11. Green Bay – 18
