Women’s Soccer Travels to Kennesaw for Last Road Matchup of the Season – FIU Athletics

Kennesaw , Ga. – FIU Women’s Soccer (10-3, 5-0) travels to Kennesaw, Georgia to match up against Conference USA newcomer Kennesaw State (2-8-4, 1-2-3) for the first matchup against the Owls in program history.

Sunday, Oct. 20 at Kennesaw State

• Time / Site: 1 p.m. / Fifth Third Stadium

• TV

• Live Stats

• Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics 

The Panthers are coming into the matchup fresh off their seventh win in a row, most recently against Sam Houston, 3-1.

Senior Noemi Paquin got it started for FIU early in the contest, netting her twelfth goal of the season in the sixth minute, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead over the Bearkats. The forward stayed hot with her second goal of the first half at the 37:46 mark, assisted by fellow senior Arriana Sparrow’s first assist of the season, sending FIU into the half with a 2-0 lead.

Out of the half, neither the Panthers nor the Bearkats could find the back of the net until late in the half when Sam Houston cut the FIU lead in half with a goal in the 77th minute, making the match 2-1. 

FIU did not let Sam Houston back in the match, scoring their last goal of the match off the foot of junior Brealyn Viamille at the 81:44 mark, extending their lead to 3-1 and effectively putting away the game to keep their win-streak afloat. 

The Panthers had more shots and more shots on goal than the Bearkats, getting off 13 shots and eight shots on goal to Sam Houston’s five and one. The FIU back line continues to play dominant defense, with seniors Delinda Sehlin and Reagan Bridges, as well as junior Catherine Rapp all played 90 minutes in the contest. The Bearkats’ goal was the first score FIU has given up in three matches, and during their seven game win-streak, FIU has given up just four goals.

SO FAR THIS SEASON

FIU is 10-3 and 5-0 in conference play heading into their matchup with New Mexico State. Their first two wins of the season came against FGCU, winning against the Eagles for the first time since the 2010 season, and Florida Atlantic, beating the Owls for the first time since the 2011 season. Their third victory came against another Florida team in Jacksonville in a 3-0 result. The Panthers cruised through their next five victories, beating Southeastern Louisiana 6-0, SEMO 3-0, MTSU 4-2, Liberty 3-0, New Mexico State 3-0, LA Tech 3-0 and Sam Houston 3-1.

All three losing results for the Panthers have come by just one goal, including against two Power-4 schools in Oklahoma and Miami.

Forward Noemi Paquin continues her tear, now with 12 goals in her last six games, most in the NCAA since the streak started September 12. The scores are the most in that time frame in Conference USA, and now is first in goals scored in the conference this season with 13, and most goals scored in conference play with 10. 

Nikole Solis is not far behind her, with the senior netting eight goals on the year after her scores against LA Tech, good for fourth in CUSA. Montelene Dymond is third on the Panthers with three goals, while senior Arianna Sparrow and junior Catherine Rapp have netted two so far this season. Senior Reagan Bridges, along with juniors Ashly Martinez, Elizabeth Rapp, and first year Antonella Solari are all credited with one goal on the season.

Senior Camille Sahirul has been a veteran facilitator, tied for the lead in the conference with six assists. The forward is second in CUSA in assists per game with .462.

Antonella Solari scored the first goal for the Panthers on the season off of an assist by fellow first year Rebecca Baldelomar, an equalizer at the end of the first half of their win against FGCU.

THE RETURNERS

FIU welcomes back nine seniors this season, including First Team All-CUSA selection Noemi Paquin, Second Team selections Reagan Bridges, Camille Sahirul and Nikole Solis, and Third Team selection Delinda Sehlin.

Solis was the leading scorer for the Panthers in 2023 with 10 goals, and led CUSA in points with 23, while Paquin was eighth in CUSA in points last season with five goals and five assists.

SCOUTING THE OWLS

Kennesaw State was picked last in the 2024 Conference USA preseason poll, and currently sits at seventh in the league with a 1-2-3 conference record. The Owls are scoring .714 goals per game, eighth in the conference, while letting up 1.93 goals a game, worst in CUSA.

Kennesaw State is led by a duo of seniors in Tianna Rivera and Macie Rainwater, with Rivera leading the team with five goals, tied for eighth in the conference, and Rainwater close behind with four.

Starting goalkeeper Charlee Bernal has started in 10 games thus far this season, and is fifth in CUSA with 47 saves in the campaign. The sophomore is second in the conference in saves per game with 4.7, and currently has two shutouts on the season.

CUSA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offensive Player of the Week

September 17 – Noemi Paquin

September 24 – Noemi Paquin

September 24 – Noemi Paquin

October 1 – Noemi Paquin

October 8 – Noemi Paquin

October 14 – Noemi Paquin

Defensive Player of the Week 

August 27 – Reagan Bridges

October 8 – Reagan Bridges

Goalkeeper of the Week

August 27 – Valery Restrepo

September 10- Valery Restrepo

October 1- Valery Restrepo

October 8- Valery Restrepo

SOCIAL MEDIA

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUWSoccer), Twitter (@FIUWSoccer), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest Women’s Soccer news.

General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.