Opening Whistle
Cleveland State starts Horizon League play with consecutive road games starting with Detroit on Thursday and then Oakland on Sunday.
 
Last Game Out
The Vikings recorded their second straight shutout and third of the year against Morehead State at home on Sunday with a 3-0 triumph. The Green and White recognized 12 seniors before the game.
 
Cleveland State got on the board in the 35th minute when Olivia Cruz finished off a pass from Mayra Sesmas. Three minutes later, Ryleigh Alcala netted her first collegiate goal off a cross from Emma Pompo and Sesmas. Sarver bagged the lone goal of the second half in the 76th minute off a pass from Alcala to win 3-0.
 
About Detroit
Detroit enters the league opener with a 2-6-0 overall record, with both wins coming at home. The Titans are coming off an 8-0 shutout of Madonna at home last Thursday.
 
Abbey Lodato is tops on the team in goals (5), assists (2), and points (12). Eva Hill and Chantelle Symes have split the season in goal, with Symes playing the most recent games and having 15 saves with a shutout.
 
Series With Detroit
Detroit holds a 12-9-2 series advantage and has won the previous two contests. Last season, Detroit came out on top in Cleveland, 2-1. The Vikings' last victory on the road came in 2021 with a 2-1 overtime win.
 
About Oakland
Oakland kicks off league play with a trip to Northern Kentucky on Thursday and currently has a 1-5-2 overall record. The Golden Grizzlies are 1-1-2 at home this season and are coming off a 2-0 shutout loss at St. Bonaventure.
 
The Grizzlies have six goals, with five of those coming from Brae Cole. Ella Shapiro has two assists, and Corinne Jenkins accounts for the other. Three different goalies have seen time this year, led by Maryn Weiger with five starts and 17 saves.
 
Series With Oakland
This will be the 15th meeting between these two teams, with Oakland holding a 7-4-3 advantage. The last three games have occurred on Krenzler and ended in shutouts, with last season going in the Vikings' favor, 4-0. The last game in Rochester occurred in 2021, with Oakland winning, 3-1.
 
Goal Watch
Mayra Sesmas has 15 career strikes, which is tied with Kathryn Ramicone for the fourth most all-time. The senior is presently four back of the program record of 19, currently held by Vickie Havas (2012-15) and Natalie Daniels (2008-11).
 
Points List
Sesmas added two points in the previous game on a pair of assists, raising her career points total to 37, which is fifth all-time. She is currently 20 behind the program leader, Natalie Daniels.
 
Collecting Clean Sheets
Elyse Broderick has recorded consecutive shutouts in goal, raising her career total to four, which is tied for sixth all-time.
 
Head Coach Mark Sappington
Sappington is in his second season with the Green and White after being named the fourth head coach in program history before last season. In his first season, the team went 2-14-1 overall and 2-8-0 in the league.
 
Preseason Poll
The Cleveland State women's soccer team has been chosen to finish eleventh in the Horizon League for the 2025 season, as voted on by the league coaches.
 
Milwaukee took the No. 1 spot after receiving 10 first-place votes for 120 points. Northern Kentucky was second with 105 points, and Detroit Mercy was third with the final first-place vote for 98 points. The Vikings slotted in the final spot with 27 points.
 
Coming Up
Cleveland State will have its longest homestand of the year with three consecutive games on Krenzler Field beginning with Youngstown on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.