PITTSBURGH-- Point Park women's soccer will host No. 21 Fairmont State in a massive game in the MEC North Division on Wednesday. Opening kick is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at F.N.B. Stadium.

LAST TIME OUT

The Pioneers (9-3-1, 9-1-1 MEC) took down Charleston in a road matchup 1-0 thanks to Maya Figueroa's game-winning goal in the 65th minute. Figueroa sent a blast from outside of the box into the far right corner of the net, giving the Pioneers a lead they would not relinquish. 

Nicole Kuchinski stopped all three shots the Golden Eagles sent her way, recording her MEC-leading ninth shutout of the campaign.

MEC HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT

Point Park and Fairmont State are the top two teams in the MEC North Division, with the Falcons (29 points, 9-0-2 MEC) holding a 1-point edge over the Pioneers (28 points, 9-1-1 MEC) with five games to go. Tailing the two teams is Frostburg State - Point Park's next opponent - with 26 points. The top two teams in each MEC division will host first-round matchups in the MEC Tournament on Nov. 1. 

Fairmont State is currently ranked 21st in Division II, two spots higher than they were in the teams' first matchup. FSU is ranked third in the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region Poll, and Point Park is ranked ninth. 

Point Park is also ranked seventh in the initial Atlantic Region National Power Index (NPI) rankings, which Fairmont State tops. The NPI will be used to select participants for the NCAA Regional Tournament. 

BRICK WALL

Point Park holds the best team goals-against average in the MEC, only allowing 0.38 goals per match. Goalkeeper Nicole Kuchinski leads the MEC in goals-against average (0.25), save percentage (.943) and shutouts (nine). Her 4.17 saves per game are good for fifth in the league. 

Kuchinski surrendered her first goal since Sept. 16 against West Virginia State, and two of her three goals this season have come on the road against ranked opponents (then-No. 22 Ashland and then-No. 23 Fairmont State).

WEEKLY HONORS

Maya Figueroa became the third Pioneer to receive an MEC weekly honor on Monday when she picked up an MEC Offensive Player of the Week title. Figueroa scored in both of Point Park's games last week, including her game-winning tally at Charleston. 

Point Park has received four MEC weekly honors on the season, with Rebecca Pihlgren being named MEC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7 and Nicole Kuchinski earning back-to-back MEC Defensive Player of the Week crowns on Sept. 21 and 28. 
 

STRONG AS STEEL

Point Park enters Wednesday night's matchup with a 6-0-0 record at home this season, and the team has outscored opponents 9-1 in the Steel City this season. 

The last time Point Park won six games at home was 2021, and the Pioneers haven't rattled off seven wins in Pittsburgh in a single season since 2015. 

WELCOME TO MOE'S!

Nicole Kuchinski was named the Moe's Southwest Grill Pioneer Women's Athlete of the Month on Monday. Kuchinski earned back-to-back MEC Defensive Player of the Week titles on Sept. 21 and 28, and the senior goalkeeper allowed only two goals over the last month. 

PIHLGREN POWER

Rebecca Philgren leads the team with her four goals (tied for ninth in the MEC), three assists (tied for sixth) and 11 points (tied for eighth).

Pihlgren sits in fourth place in the league in shots on goal (17) in the MEC and second in shots (38). Two of her goals have been game winners, which ties her for fifth in the MEC with teammates Eliya Adjo and Maya Figueroa.

SHARE THE WEALTH

Point Park has won nine of its 11 conference games with a goal differential of 14-2. The Pioneers have featured nine different goalscorers over this stretch, with Rebecca Pihlgren scoring four goals, including a brace against Wheeling, Charisma Arteaga and Becca Simpkins both scoring against West Liberty and Reece Frank recording the lone tally in the win over Davis & Elkins. Eliya Adjo scored in back-to-back games against Glenville State and West Virginia State, a game in which Isabelle Meier also scored.

Meea Irwin and Maria Gomez both dented the twine at Shawnee State, and Maya Figueroa scored in the team's last two matches against West Virginia Wesleyan and Charleston. 

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

No. 21 Fairmont State (11-0-2, 9-0-2 MEC) looks to continue its unbeaten season on Wednesday. The Falcons currently top the MEC and the Atlantic Region NPI, and they are ranked third in the most recent USC Atlantic Region poll. 

Sam Yuen leads FSU with four goals, which is tied for ninth-best in the MEC, and 10 points. Yuen is one of seven Falcons with multiple goals on the season, with Dayra DInarte, Payton Parliament, Arrington Sparks, Serenity Thomas and Valentina Gianinetto all scoring three apiece and Agnes Bjork adding two of her own. 

Parliament scored the only goal of the first meeting of the Pioneers and Falcons this season.

Olivia Johnston has started all 13 matches for the Falcons, posting a 0.63 GAA and a save percentage of .837, which rank third and fourth in the MEC respectively. Johnston has surrendered eight goals this season, including one on Sunday against Concord. 

PRESEASON POLL

Point Park was picked to place fourth in the Mountain East Conference North Division in the MEC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Pioneers returned 19 players from the 2025 season, in which they qualified for the MEC Tournament, including the aforementioned Rebecca Pihlgren who was named 2025 MEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-MEC.