By Teziah Howard / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University women’s soccer team kicked off its 2024 campaign with two home games at Farmers National Bank Field.
The team opened non-conference play against Kent State University on Aug. 18 and hosted Saint Francis University on Aug. 22. The Penguins tied the first matchup and were victorious in their second.
The first contest for the Penguins concluded in a 2–2 draw. However, the ladies bounced back on a short week with a 2–nil win.
Redshirt-freshman Maya Naimoli is YSU’s starting goalkeeper from Wayne, Pennsylvania, who redshirted her first year at The Ohio State University.
The Penguins held the Red Flash scoreless, as Naimoli recorded her first career shutout. In response to her breakout game, Naimoli said her teammates played a crucial role in the shutout victory.
“We’ve been working really hard in practice,” Naimoli said. “I owe it all to my defense and the other goalkeepers I’ve been working with to really test me.”
The defensive play by the ’Guins did not go unnoticed, but the new athletes showcased their offensive capability.
Freshman Teaghan Wahle scored her first collegiate career goal against the Red Flash. Wahle said the excitement from her teammates after the score was great to see.
“Energy is a big thing on this team and as soon as I scored I looked over and was shocked,” Wahle said. “Everyone was all over the sidelines going crazy so it was great.”
Head Coach Brian Shrum has been at the helm of the YSU women’s soccer team for seven seasons. With a mixture of rookies and veterans, Shrum praised the leadership displayed on the team.
“We have a lot of veteran leadership and those kids have really embraced the freshmen, and allowed them to get experience on the field and in training,” Shrum said.
Through three games played, Shrum said that his eyes are on the prize for his team to sit atop the Horizon League at the end of the season.
“[The Horizon League Tournament] is going to be the big focus of this season. You can’t get to the NCAA Tournament unless you win in this conference so that is the goal,” Shrum said.
The Horizon League Tournament is set to begin Nov. 3 – Nov. 9. The Penguins open conference play on the road against the University of Detroit Mercy on Sept. 19.
Shrum and the team look to bounce back from a 2–nil loss to Eastern Michigan University. The first goal of the competition came from sophomore Oliva Sipsock, who later scored in the 67th minute.
The Penguins currently sit at .500 on the season at 1–1–1 overall.
Youngstown State will travel to Buffalo, New York for a matchup against Canisius University on Aug. 29. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
