The men's and women's soccer teams have big weekends ahead of them. Both teams will host their season finales this Saturday against Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) Tartans at the Woodruff Physical Education Center (WoodPEC).
Emory will honor their senior graduating players with a special "Senior Day Ceremony." The men have one player graduating, Andrew Jones ("AJ"). Jones has played in 70 games during his career, scoring 11 goals and 13 assists for 35 points.
"AJ is definitely one of our hardest-working players," Head Coach Sonny Travis said. "He is probably the quickest player in the UAA in my opinion. We will miss that combination of those things that he brings the table."
The women have seven players graduating: Samantha Bleiweis, Caitlin Clark, Kelly Costopoulos, Lauren Drosick, Lauren Gorodetsky, Clare Mullins and Veronica Romero. The seven players have comprised the most successful class in the program's history. They have gone 61-8-14 with three NCAA tournament berths and were runners-up in the NCAA championship last season.
Head Coach Sue Patberg will most certainly miss this year's graduating class.
"They are a special group, and we will miss them at every position on the field," Patberg said.
The men's team will play the 13th-ranked Carnegie Mellon for at least a share of the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship and possibly an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The men are 11-5-1 this season, 4-1-1 in the UAA Championships and 6–1 at home this year.
"Our expectations are to go out and play Emory soccer and come out with a win," Travis said. "That is why we play the game."
Emory, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Rochester (N.Y.) are each tied for first with one game left to play this season. Emory can win the UAA championship outright and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a Rochester loss or tie at Case Western Reserve University (Ohio). There is also a possibility that the Eagles will share the conference title with a win and a Rochester win, or a tie and a Rochester loss or tie. Emory would not earn the automatic bid in any of the scenarios involving a tie.
Travis realizes both the high stakes and the Tartans' talent.
"Carnegie Mellon is an excellent team," Travis said. "The key to our game will be how our defense holds up and we fully expect a tough match."
This will be the second straight year that Emory and Carnegie Mellon will play each other for the UAA Championship in the final game of the season. Emory beat the Tartans last year.
Emory is 11-12-3 all-time against Carnegie Mellon but has a winning record against them when playing in the WoodPEC.
Junior forward Dylan Price leads the team with 10 goals and 24 points. Andrew Jones has played the most minutes on defense. Sophomore goalkeeper Abe Hannigan, meanwhile has posted a miniscule 1.11 goals against average.
The eighth-ranked women's team will aim to keep its six-game winning streak alive this weekend when they also host Carnegie Mellon at the WoodPEC.
With the one game remaining for all of the UAA teams, Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) clinched the conference's automatic bid and share of the championships. Emory sits in second place and can tie the Bears for the UAA Championship with a win and a Washington loss at Chicago.
Patberg said that the Eagles' focus lies beyond the regular season conference title.
"The ultimate goal is to win the game," Patberg said. "We need to come out ready to go. We need to move the ball, possess the ball and look for dangerous opportunities every time we get into the final third."
The Eagles will enter Saturday riding a six-game winning streak. They have won 11 of their last 12 matches. Emory played the Tartans a couple of times last season with both matches ending in ties. The Eagles are 17-3-2 all-time against the Tartans, which includes a 10-0-0 record at the WoodPEC.
Junior Karina Rodriguez leads the team with 16 points and six goals. Sophomore Jordan Morrell is second with 12 points and five goals. Rodriguez also has the team lead in assists, with four.
Senior defender Lauren Gorodetsky leads in total minutes played.
The action begins this Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. with the men's team and the women's team taking the field at 1:30 p.m.
– By Alexander Del Re
