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The Butler women's soccer team opens their 2018 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 16 at Kent State. Kickoff is slated for 7PM and will be played at Dix Stadium on the Kent State campus.

About the Bulldogs

The Bulldogs wrapped up the preseason schedule with a 2-0 win against Illinois on Aug. 10 and a 4-0 win over Wright State on Aug. 7. Goalkeepers Hannah Luedtke and Leonie Doege combined for the two-game shutout.

Newcomers Anja Savich and Macy Miller each put one in the back of the net against Wright State, while Amanda Kowalski and Breann Pempek each added one. Paige Monaghan and Halle Stelbasky were the goal scorers against Illinois.

The offense will run through Monaghan, Stelbasky and Caitlyn DiSarcina this year, the three top returning goal scorers from a year ago. Monaghan scored ten goals and dished out six assists for the highest point total on the team. DiSarcina added eight goals and one assist, while Stelbasky had three goals and three assists.

Butler returns four key pieces to their defense that only allowed seven goals last season, a total that went down as a new school record. Annika Schmidt and Julia Leonard anchored the back line, earning BIG EAST post season honors. Schmidt was also an All-Midwest Region selection.

Goalkeepers Leonie Doege and Hannah Luedtke combined for 14 shutouts during the regular season, a BU school record. They helped Butler take down the nationally-ranked Texas A&M Aggies 2-0 on their home turf and also launched the program into the national rankings for the first time since 1996.

About Kent State

The Golden Flashes finished the 2017 season (13-6-2, 9-2-0 MAC), tying the school record for most wins in program history. They clinched their third regular season championship, but fell to Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament Semifinals.

Paige Culver returns for Kent State, the program's second ever All-American. The defender was a leader of Kent State's defense that tied its program-record with 11 shutouts. In addition to being named an All-American, she was also named to the Scholar All-American First Team and garnered Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors.

The offense returns Vital Kats, the top goal scorer for the Golden Flashes and the 2017 MAC Freshman of the Year. During her freshman campaign, she posted six goals and four assists for a team-high 16 points. Isabelle Mihail is also an offensive threat, scoring four goals with two assists during her rookie season to land on the MAC All-Freshman team. Both players tallied three game-winners for the Flashes in 2017.

Series History

The Golden Flashes lead the all-time series against Butler 1-0-1, with Kent State winning, 2-1, on the road in the previous matchup. This year's meeting is the first time the two will square off in Kent. Kent State is only 1-0-2 against current BIG EAST teams.

On the Road

The Bulldogs posted a 4-2-4 record on the road, with their only two losses of the 2017 season at Ohio and at Georgetown in the BIG EAST Tournament Championship. The Golden Flashes posted a respectable 5-3-1 record away from their home turf.

Season Openers

The Bulldogs haven't lost a season opener since 2013 when they were defeated at Louisville 2-0. They won 3-2 in double overtime against Ohio in 2014 and tied Cleveland State 1-1 in 2015. Butler hosted Ohio in 2016 and pulled out a 2-1 single overtime win. Last season, Butler played to a 0-0 tie in double overtime at #18 Notre Dame.