By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
FOND DU LAC, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University women's soccer team hits the road for the first time this season on Friday, as the Cardinals travel to Marian for a 7 p.m. nonconference showdown against the Sabres.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-0-0 Overall) vs. Marian Sabres (1-1-0 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's — August 30, 2019 * Winona, Minn.: Mary Loy (Burien, Wash.) scored with 1:13 remaining in regulation, breaking a 1-1 tie and lifting the Cardinals to a 2-1 win over Edgewood at Ochrymowycz Field | Recap
• Marian — September 1, 2019 * Fond du Lac, Wis.: The Sabres suffered their first loss of the season, surrendering a pair of goals in falling to UW-Stevens Point 2-0 in a nonconference game at the Fond du Lac Soccer Complex | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Marian — Their Last Meeting:
• September 11, 2011 * Fond du Lac, Wis.: Saint Mary's gave Neil Cassidy his first victory as the Cardinals' head coach, getting a pair of goals from Teri Valenzuela (Morton Grove, Ill.) en route to a 3-1 nonconference win over Marian | Recap
  
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back on the road on Sunday, heading to Ripon, Wis., for an 11 a.m. nonconference matchup against Ripon.
• Marian: The Sabres are back on their home field on Tuesday, playing host to Ripon in a 7 p.m. contest at the Fond du Lac Soccer Complex.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• Saint Mary's enters 2019 on the heels of an 8-10-0 showing a year ago, including winning three of their last five games. … The Cardinals' eight wins in 2018 were the most since Saint Mary's finished 9-8-1 in 2009. … The Cardinals ended the year 6-1 in nonconference play — the lone blemish a 2-0 loss to nationally ranked Loras on Sept. 8. … Jordyn Matthews (Seattle, Wash.) and Mary Loy (Burien, Wash.) scored the Cardinals' two goals in last Friday's 2-1 win over Edgewood. … Matthews scored the Cardinals' first goal of the season, finding the back of the net at 31:39 of the opening half against Edgewood last Friday — it was not only the Cardinals' first goal of the season, but also the first of Matthews' SMU career. … Loy's goal against Edgewood last Friday was her fifth game-winning goal in the last two seasons. She led the Cardinals with four game-winners a year ago. … Kassie Arriaga (Chula Vista, Calif.) picked up the Cardinals' lone assist against Edgewood last Friday, assisting on Loy's game-winning goal. … Saint Mary's held the Eagles to just three shot attempts last Friday — and only one that found its way on goal. … Saint Mary's 2-1 win over Edgewood marked the third straight year in which the Cardinals have won their season opener. … Saint Mary's 2-1 win over Edgewood last Friday snapped its two-game losing streak against the Eagles.
 
Scouting The Marian Sabres:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• Friday's game against Saint Mary's is the second of three straight home games to open the season for the Sabres. … Marian's first two games of the season have been decided by shutout — the Sabres blanked Beloit 4-0 in their season-opener last Friday, while falling to UW-Stevens Point 2-0 two days later. … The Sabres' four goals in their season-opening win over Beloit last Friday came from four different players — Meghan Batzner, Shannon Coughlin, Allyson VanZeeland, and Ashley Welk. … Coughlin also picked up an assist against Beloit and leads the team with three points. … Kylie Lange has started both games in goal for Marian, compiling a 1.12 goals-against-average and an .875 save percentage. … Brianna Levine played 20 minutes in relief of Lange against Beloit last Friday and did not have to make a save. … Lange has stopped 14 of the 16 shots she's faced this season. … Marian, which reached the NACC post-season tournament semifinals a year ago, graduated four of its top five scorers from a year ago — including their top three point-getters. …