MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Sept. 20, 2023) – The West Virginia University women’s soccer team prepares to open its Big 12 Conference home slate against Iowa State on Thursday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. ET, inside Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown.
Thursday’s contest against the Cyclones is the Mountaineers Diversity and Inclusion Game, in conjunction with WVU’s Campus Diversity Week. Special t-shirts celebrating diversity and inclusion will be given out to the first 300 fans in attendance. It also is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, with free admission granted to WVU faculty and staff with a WVU employee ID.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $5 each. Any remaining tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Nick Farrell will have the call of Thursday's contest on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, or to sign up for the digital platform, visit WVUsports.com/Big12Now. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Last time out, WVU suffered a 4-2 loss to league newcomer UCF in its Big 12 Conference opener in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 14. Even though the Mountaineers scored the first goal with senior midfielder Isabel Loza’s first tally of the season, UCF score three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead. Fifth-year senior forward/defender Julianne Vallerand put WVU one score closer with a penalty kick goal in the 61st minute, but the Knights added a fourth score to solidify the win.
Sophomore forward Taylor White leads the team with four goals and 10 points, while junior forward Dilary Heredia-Beltran holds the team lead in assists (3) and shots (20).
Thursday’s match marks the 12th all-time meeting between West Virginia and Iowa State. The Mountaineers are undefeated in the series, going 11-0 over the Cyclones since their first match in 2012 when West Virginia joined the Big 12. In last season’s contest, Lauren Segalla recorded a brace to lift the Mountaineers to a 2-0 win in Ames on Sept. 25.
Matt Fannon is in his fourth season at the helm of the ISU women’s soccer team, leading the Cyclones to their first win over a ranked team since 2016 during the 2022 campaign. Iowa State arrives in Morgantown 3-5-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play after falling, 4-1, to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener on Sept. 14. Senior Mira Emma paces the Cyclone offensive attack, leading the squad in goals (4), assists (2), points (10) and shots (19). Goalkeeper Avery Gillihan has notched 21 saves on the year.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Thursday’s contest against the Cyclones is the Mountaineers Diversity and Inclusion Game, in conjunction with WVU’s Campus Diversity Week. Special t-shirts celebrating diversity and inclusion will be given out to the first 300 fans in attendance. It also is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, with free admission granted to WVU faculty and staff with a WVU employee ID.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $5 each. Any remaining tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Nick Farrell will have the call of Thursday's contest on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, or to sign up for the digital platform, visit WVUsports.com/Big12Now. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Last time out, WVU suffered a 4-2 loss to league newcomer UCF in its Big 12 Conference opener in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 14. Even though the Mountaineers scored the first goal with senior midfielder Isabel Loza’s first tally of the season, UCF score three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead. Fifth-year senior forward/defender Julianne Vallerand put WVU one score closer with a penalty kick goal in the 61st minute, but the Knights added a fourth score to solidify the win.
Sophomore forward Taylor White leads the team with four goals and 10 points, while junior forward Dilary Heredia-Beltran holds the team lead in assists (3) and shots (20).
Thursday’s match marks the 12th all-time meeting between West Virginia and Iowa State. The Mountaineers are undefeated in the series, going 11-0 over the Cyclones since their first match in 2012 when West Virginia joined the Big 12. In last season’s contest, Lauren Segalla recorded a brace to lift the Mountaineers to a 2-0 win in Ames on Sept. 25.
Matt Fannon is in his fourth season at the helm of the ISU women’s soccer team, leading the Cyclones to their first win over a ranked team since 2016 during the 2022 campaign. Iowa State arrives in Morgantown 3-5-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play after falling, 4-1, to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener on Sept. 14. Senior Mira Emma paces the Cyclone offensive attack, leading the squad in goals (4), assists (2), points (10) and shots (19). Goalkeeper Avery Gillihan has notched 21 saves on the year.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
