West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's soccer program will make their season debut on the hilltop on Sunday afternoon, welcoming Pitt-Johnstown to the West Family Athletic Complex. The Hilltoppers and Mountain Cats are set for a 2 p.m. kick-off as both teams look for their first win of the season.

GAME DETAILS

• Location: West Liberty, W.Va. (West Family Athletic Complex)
• Kick-Off: 2 P.M.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters Sunday's match with a record of 0-1 on the season, following a season opening loss on the road to Malone (3-2).
• The Hilltoppers opened the season with a goal from Mia Zecca, one minute and 39 seconds into the game against the Pioneers. Amelia Compston added WLU's second goal of the season in the 11^th minute to give the Black & Gold the early 2-1 advantage.
• Both Compston and Zecca played and scored goals as freshman in 2022, as Compston led the team with three goals and Zecca found the back of the net once.
• Three Hilltoppers recorded an assist in game number one: Abigail Barki, Compston, and Zecca.
• With all of the teams in the Mountain East Conference having played one match this season, Compston and Zecca are tied for the conference lead in points with three apiece (1 goal and 1 assist).
• As a team, the Hilltoppers posted the highest point total by any MEC team in their season opener with seven points off two goals and three assists.
• Libby Finn started in goal and played 68 minutes and 31 seconds in the box, she made five saves against eight shots-on-goal. Zara Wickert played the remaining 21 minutes and 29 seconds and made the save on the only shot-on-goal she faced.
• Malone held the advantage over West Liberty in shots (13-6), shots-on-goal (9-4), and corner kicks (6-4) during the first game of the season.
• West Liberty newcomer, Morgan Kost, will face off against her former school. In 2021 she led Pitt-Johnstown in goals (9) and points (23). In 2022 she tied for the team-high with four goals and was second with nine points.
• WLU was picked to finish fifth in the North Division of the 2023 MEC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Pete McMenemy is entering his second season as a coach at West Liberty and enters this weekend's game with an 0-1 record on the sideline with the Hilltoppers.

PITT-JOHNSTOWN STORYLINES

• Pitt-Johnstown enters Sunday's match with a record of 0-1 on the season, following a season opening loss at home against Shepherd (3-1).
• The Mountain Cats lone goal in the season opener was an unassisted goal by Haley Neidig in the 7^th minute of play to give UPJ the early 1-0 advantage.
• Neidig is the top returning player for Pitt-Johnstown, having scored three goals and assisted on one for a total of seven points during 2022. Sophia Lamesta and MacKenzie Stephens are the only other two players to have scored multiple goals last season for UPJ as each found the back of the net twice.
• Megan Giesey started in goal and played 28 minutes and 50 seconds in the box, saving all three shot-on-goal attempts by the Rams. Parker Grimm played the remaining 61 minutes and ten seconds, recording five saves against eight shots-on-goal she faced.
• Giesey appeared in three games during the 2022 season for the Mountain Cats, making 14 saves while facing 18 shots-on-goal.
• Shepherd held the advantage over Pitt-Johnstown in shots (18-8), shot-on-goal (11-3), and corner kicks (5-1) during their first game of the season.
• UPJ was picked to finish eighth in the Western Division of the 2023 PSAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Vito Addalli enters his sixth season as the head coach at Pitt-Johnstown, holding a 21-46-6 career record with the Mountain Cats.

SERIES HISTORY

• West Liberty and Pitt-Johnston have only met once all-time on the pitch in women's soccer, meeting as conference foes in the WVIAC on September 26, 2012. The Mountain Cats defeated the Hilltoppers 2-0 in Johnston, Pennsylvania as part of WLU women's soccer's inaugural season.