MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Five conference titles. Three straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. The program’s highest-ever ranking in 20 seasons.

 

There certainly are a lot of accolades that point to this year’s senior class being a “special” class for the No. 2/3 West Virginia University women’s soccer team.

 

 

Midfielder Leah Emaus says it’s a shared vision that makes this class “special.”

 

“We all have the same goal – we want to get to the final four of the NCAA tournament,” the Webster, New York, native said. “We all have a great work ethic on the field, and this is definitely a special group.”

 

While there is a lot of soccer to be played between today and a qualification for the 2015 NCAA College Cup, the Mountaineers certainly are on the right track, unbeaten in their last 11 matches and boasting the nation’s top won-lost-tied percentage (0.893). Emaus helped WVU earn its last victory, scoring in the 29th minute at then-No. 16/13 Texas Tech on Oct. 11 to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 advantage. WVU (12-1-1, 3-0-1) tallied three second-half goals and returned to Morgantown with a 4-1 win over the Red Raiders.

 

The goal was the first of the season for Emaus, a two-time Academic All-Big 12 Soccer First Team honoree. Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown believes Emaus is hitting her stride right now and filling her role on the team admirably.

 

“Anything I have asked Leah to do this season, she has done, no questions asked,” Izzo-Brown explained. “She is one of the hardest-working players that I have ever coached. Leah possesses an awesome fitness level and an ability to work hard. She will do anything for a goal and a win. Every team needs a ‘Leah’ to be successful.”

 

Emaus shares her blue-collar approach to the game with her classmates and believes the Mountaineers’ determination to push through any adversity has helped them earn their 12 wins this season.

 

“Every game is different. They’re all tough games, but we always push through and we take home the wins and the ties,” she explained. “Over the last four years, the seniors have all worked together. We’ve dedicated so much time to this team and this program because we have so much pride in this program.

 

“We all have jobs on the team, and we all know what are roles are. Having that mentality to work together and the ability to trust our teammates to get their jobs done – we do a really good job of that on this team. I think it definitely shows with this season.”

 

The six Mountaineer seniors will be honored this Sunday, Oct. 18, prior to the team’s 1 p.m. kickoff against Iowa State.

 

Each of the six seniors recently answered a few questions independently. Below is a sample of some of their answers.

 

Beating Penn State 1-0 this year.

 

Diverse. Everyone brings something different and special to the table.

 

I see us winning two Big 12 Conference titles, making it to the NCAA Final Four and continuing to rank in the top five. We have great team chemistry and the opportunity to create something special for our school and for our team.

 

Playing under the lights at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Friday nights. I also enjoyed playing “Heads Up” in the airport on road trips and receiving new gear!

 

Unique. It’s hard to describe our class in one word, but through all the laughter, hard work and different personalities, our class is unique. We are always finding a way to have fun and contribute to the team’s success.

 

Winning two Big 12 titles and advancing to the NCAA Final Four. We have dedicated so much time and effort to be the best in the country. All the hard work will be rewarded as we continue to play at our highest level.

 

Beating Penn State 1-0 my senior season.

 

Blue Collar. We all work really hard.

 

Winning two Big 12 titles, retaining our top-3 ranking and making it to the NCAA Final Four. We work well together as a unit and have the blue-collar mentality to accomplish this.

 

When we came back to beat Missouri, 3-2, in 2014. I had one goal and two assists, but it was a big team success.

 

Unique. We all have different personalities. We all contribute something different in the way we play and the way we act outside of soccer.

 

Winning the Big 12 Championships and, hopefully, a National Championship! We have the senior leadership, depth and overall talent to accomplish it all.

 

Winning my first Big 12 Conference regular-season and tournament championships in 2014.

 

Unique. Each senior is different in her own way.

 

I see this year playing out to be a great year. I see our team going a long way this season. Our team is so close, and we have a great bond that carries onto the field. Having such a close team allows us to really understand each other, and that helps us on the field.

 

Beating No.1-ranked Stanford 1-0 in 2012.

 

Dynamic. We all offer so many different things to this program.

 

I see us making a long run in the NCAA Tournament because that is what I believe this team is capable of doing. Having said that, we’re going to take it one game at a time.  

 

WVU moves into the weekend with 11 shutouts, the best total in the NCAA and a mark matched by only four other schools: Cornell, Rutgers, North Texas and DePaul.

 

Of the five schools, only one team also ranks in the top 14 in scoring offense – West Virginia.

 

The Mountaineers show 34 goals in 14 games for a 2.43 goals-per-game average, the 14th-best mark in the nation and the top mark in the Big 12 Conference.

 

Sophomore Michaela Abam, the team’s top scorer 2014 with eight goals, has surpassed her freshman totals and leads the Mountaineers with nine goals, ranking her No. 33 nationally and No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference.

 

One of the key cogs in the Mountaineers’ success in shutting down opponents’ scoring chances has been goalkeeper Hannah Steadman. A transfer from Tennessee, Steadman earned the starting nod in the fall of 2014 and has not relinquished her position between the posts.

 

Steadman currently ranks No. 1 in the Mountaineer record book in career goals-against average (GAA), posting a 0.54 average through 36 career matches. Taking into consideration the three matches she played in at Tennessee, Steadman owns a four-year GAA of 0.52, the third-best mark among current active Division I goalkeepers, and the 16th-best mark among all goalkeepers.

 

She shows 19 career shutouts at WVU, with eight coming this season. Steadman and sophomore Michelle Newhouse split time in net in three matches this year, and shutouts are no longer split between goalkeepers.

 

As hard as it is to believe, the Mountaineers close out their home regular-season slate at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium this weekend.

 

WVU will face Kansas in a key Big 12 matchup on Friday, Oct. 16, with first kick set for 7 p.m. The Mountaineers will return to DDSS on Sunday, Oct. 18, for a 1 p.m. match against Iowa State.

 

Several fun promotions are planned for this weekend. Friday is “BOGO Coke & Popcorn” night at DDSS, and fans who purchase one popcorn or Coke product will receive a second product for free. Additionally, the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a free megaphone. The Mountaineer Maniacs also will host a pregame tailgate and will distribute a Maniac scarf to the first 150 Maniacs in attendance.

 

Sunday’s match will be televised on ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh. It is “Senior Day,” and WVU’s six seniors will be honored prior to first kick.

 

Tickets for both matches are $3 for youth and senior citizens and $5 for adults. Groups of 10 or more may purchase tickets for $2 each. WVU students are admitted free with a valid WVU student ID. Tickets may be purchased in advance at WVUGAME.com and also will be available for purchase at the gate.

 

Let’s Go, Mountaineers!