WSOC Closes Road Swing at Army
9/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Seton Hall Game Notes 
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SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall women's soccer team concludes a three-match road swing on Friday as the Pirates travel to West Point on Friday to take on perennial Patriot League contender Army in their final away match prior to the start of conference play.
The Hall (1-4-1) snapped a four-match skid last time out, earning a 0-0 draw at Princeton on Monday. Making her third career start, sophomore Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) finished with six saves to help the Pirates pick up the result, recording her first career shutout in the process.
Through four appearances, Blackshear has ascended to the near the top of the conference in a number statistical categories as Seton Hall has established itself as one of the toughest defensive units in the league. The West Orange native holds a BIG EAST-best save percentage (.864) and also ranks second with a 0.81 goals against average.
Only teammate Gina Maiorana (Street, Md.) boasts a lower GAA (0.80) and despite splitting time, both have recorded one clean sheet early in the season. Maiorana also stands fourth among qualifying conference keepers in save percentage (.778) while Blackshear has amassed the fifth-most saves (19).
While the defense has remained a steady force and helped the Pirates finish level with the Tigers for the second-consecutive season, the Seton Hall attack has shown signs of how threatening it can be when operating at its height.
The Hall fired a season-high 22 shots at Stony Brook as head coach Rick Stainton's side nearly completed a second half comeback before narrowly missing securing a late victory at Princeton.
Sophomore Frankie Maier (Oradell, N.J.) has served as the fulcrum of the Pirates' offensive efforts and nearly sent Seton Hall home a winner with a chance in the final moments of overtime against the Tigers. The ever-present midfielder leads The Hall and is tied for eighth in the BIG EAST with 15 shot attempts through six contests and has played 555 of a possible 560 minutes during that span.
When the two teams met last fall, it was a first half strike from Maier that provided the final blow in a 2-0 Seton Hall victory over the Black Knights. The win was the first for the Pirates in the brief three-match history between the two programs but was also the first time that The Hall had hosted Army.
The Black Knights will enter the matchup riding a two-match winning streak that has improved their overall record to 3-3-0. All three of Army's victories have come at home by a 2-1 score including one against BIG EAST opponent St. John's.
Junior midfielder Katie Holder has scored a team-high three goals including the game-winner against both Delaware and Columbia in the team's two most recent outings. Holder's efforts earned her Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors and teammate Jordan Cassalia is also the reigning Goalkeeper of the Week in the conference.
Seton Hall beat Cassalia twice while out-shooting Army, 15-to-6, in last year's meeting.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from West Point on Friday. Seton Hall will return home to face Columbia on Monday which will also be a 7:00 p.m. start.
