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MU soccer takes Valparaiso, Evansville

By Harrison Schwarz, For The Miami Student

After back-to-back wins to start the season, the Miami University women's soccer team (2-0) looks to keep the momentum going as it hosts Valparaiso University (0-2) in the season home-opener on Friday and travels to Evansville University (0-2) on Sunday.

It is the fifth time in six seasons the volleyball team has started 2-0. After last weekend, the National Soccer Coaches of America Association ranked Miami No. 5 in the Great Lakes Regional standings.

Junior goalkeeper Vic Maniaci seeks to keep her scoreless streak intact after an instrumental performance against Vanderbilt last weekend, in which she saved or influenced all 22 Vandy shots that came her way.

Miami's offense has been a group effort so far this season with five different players scoring each of MU's five goals.

Head coach Bobby Kramig wants to keep the team's focus away from the opponents they face this weekend and towards improving fundamental weaknesses in practice.

"It doesn't really matter who we play. I don't want to be focused on our opponent," Kramig said. "I think for us to be successful we have to do the things that we're set up to do really, really well. The things that we're working on are the things that we need to do better."

Valpo is coming off a 6-0 loss to No. 9 Notre Dame University and a 2-0 loss to Northwestern University. The Crusaders were outshot 40-6 total in both matchups. The 'Hawks have faced Valparaiso once before, beating them 1-0 in 2013.

Though Evansville returned nine starters this year, it dropped two 3-2 losses to Xavier University and University of Tennessee at Martin last weekend. This is the first meeting between MU and the Purple Aces since 2011. Miami has won two of the previous three games.

MU faces Valparaiso at 4 p.m. Friday in Oxford, Ohio. The 'Hawks play Evansville at 2 p.m. on Sunday in Evansville, Indiana.

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