RICHMOND, Ky. – After a nine-month hiatus away from the pitch, EKU soccer and head coach
Matt Cosinuke welcome the 2022 season and year two in the ASUN conference with a home-opener against Northern Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 18, 4 p.m. ET at the EKU Soccer Field.
Gates will open to the EKU Soccer Field one hour prior to the match, fans not able to attend Thursday afternoon's contest are encouraged to tune-in via
ESPN+ (subscription required).
Live Stats and
Match Notes (PDF) are also available on the Colonels' website.
Match 1: Eastern Kentucky (0-0-0, 0-0-0 ASUN) vs. Northern Illinois (0-0-0, 0-0-0 MAC)
- Thursday, August 18, 2022 – 4:00 p.m. ET
- EKU Soccer Field – Richmond, Ky.
- Free cowbells from EKU Athletics Marketing
2022 Eastern Kentucky Soccer
- EKU is set to begin their second campaign as a member of the ASUN, in the inaugural season the Colonels finished the year with a 9-10-0 record and a semifinals appearance in the conference tournament.
- Senior
Audrey Anderson embarks on her fourth year wearing EKU across her chest, last season she led the Colonels in goals (5), goals per game (0.26), shots (41), and tied for points (10).
- Sophomores
Gretta Gunn and 2021 ASUN Freshman of the Year
Nerea de Diego are coming off a stellar season where they combined for six goals, six assists, and 26 shots on frame.
- EKU returns 92 percent (23-25 goals) of their offense for the 2022 season, including
Lucy Ream,
Maddy Lemery,
Hope Evans, and
Ali Kirk – who also had multi-goal seasons.
- The Colonels welcome 10 newcomers to the roster for the 2022 season: graduate transfer
Lauren Seedlock (Radford), transfers
Maia Ransom (Cleveland State),
Celia Lopez (Pittsburgh), and
Kaitlyn Andrews (Cincinnati), and true freshmen
Maddy Murphy,
Sydney Taylor,
Payton Payne,
Haley Greenwade,
Kaitlyn Rowlett, and
Emma Spivey.
All-time vs. Northern Illinois
- Thursday's match is the second meeting between EKU and NIU, the Colonels claimed the opening battle last season with a 3-1 victory on the road.
Scouting the Huskies
- Head Coach Michael O'Neill is in his first season at the helm of the program after leading Saginaw Valley State to three NCAA Tournament appearances and 75 wins in his eight seasons in Michigan.
- Last season NIU finished the year with a 5-12-2 (2-7-2 MAC) record and did not qualify for the conference tournament.
- The Huskies look to replace over 41 percent of their offensive firepower after the loss of Graduate Student Haley Hoppe, she led NIU in goals (7), points (16), and SOG (26).
