Transy Soccer Showcase features strong field

LEXINGTON, Ky. - This weekend's Transylvania Women's College Soccer Showcase features a stellar field that includes three unbeaten teams, including No. 3 ranked Otterbein.

Showcase Schedule

Host Transylvania, coming off the championship of the Marietta Invitational, takes on Otterbein, the preseason No. 3 team in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. The Cardinals come into Saturday's 4:30 p.m. contest at Hall Field with a 2-0 record.

Otterbein, members of the Ohio Athletic Conference, has wins over Hiram and Drew this season. The Cardinals reached the NCAA Divsion III Final Four a year ago, but has eight new starters this year.

Centre (3-0) meets another OAC school, Baldwin-Wallace (2-0) in the first game Saturday at 2 p.m. The teams exchange opponents on Sunday with Centre challenging Otterbein at 2 p.m. followed by the Transy-Baldwin-Wallace matchup. Transy's only loss this year came on the road at Centre in the season-opening game. They defeated Marietta 3-0 and Point Park 4-1 in the Marietta Invitational.

"We look forward to the challenge of playing the No. 3 team in the nation," said Pioneers head coach Michael Fulton, who guided Transy into last year's NCAA Division III Championship as well. "We hope to prove we are a tough team to play, even for the top opponents."

Transy defeated Otterbein 1-0 in the most recent meeting of the teams in 2007.

"They have a very successful program over the past several years," said Fulton. "They got to the Final Four last year by beating Denison in a shoot-out. They are younger this year, but it will be a good test for us in many ways."

Transy freshman Alyssa Kruse (Lexington, KY, Tates Creek) scored four goals and added two assists last week to lead the Pioneers and earn Heartland Conference Player of the Week honors.