PITTSBURGH -- Point Park women's soccer concludes its home portion of the regular-season schedule on Wednesday night against West Liberty. Opening kick is scheduled for 5 p.m., with the team honoring its seniors ahead of the match as a part of Senior Night.

LAST TIME OUT

The Pioneers (9-5-1, 9-3-1 MEC) dropped their second consecutive match on Saturday 2-0 at Frostburg State. Point Park's best chance came in the 20th minute when Maya Figueroa sent a shot on net off a corner kick that required a team save, followed immediately by a shot from Paula Sole that was handled by Frostburg State's goalkeeper. 

BRICK WALL

Goalkeeper Nicole Kuchinski is second in the MEC in goals-against average (0.43) and save percentage (.906). She leads the MEC in shutouts with nine. Her 4.14 saves per game are good for sixth in the league. 

After allowing two goals at Frostburg State, Kuchinski has surrendered just four goals since Sept. 16 - one against West Virginia State and the other against No. 21 Fairmont State on Wednesday night. Five of her six goals this season have come on the road, and three have come against ranked opponents (one at Ashland, one at then-No. 23 Fairmont State, and one vs. Fairmont State). 

WEEKLY HONORS

Maya Figueroa became the third Pioneer to receive an MEC weekly honor on Oct. 12 when she picked up an MEC Offensive Player of the Week title. Figueroa scored in both of Point Park's games in the 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. 

THE ROAD AHEAD

Point Park currently is third in the MEC North Division with 28 points - 4 behind second-place Frostburg State. The Pioneers have clinched a spot in the MEC Tournament, with the top four teams in each division qualifying, and the top two seeds in each division hosting the opening round.

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 Pihlgren leads the team with her four goals, 11 points and three assists. Pihlgren is tied for eighth in the MEC in assists.

Pihlgren sits in third place in the league in shots on goal (22) in the MEC and her 3.43 shots per game lead the MEC. Two of her goals have been game winners, which ties her for seventh in the MEC with teammates Eliya Adjo and Maya Figueroa.

SHARE THE WEALTH

Point Park has won nine of its 13 conference games with a goal differential of 14-5. 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 HILLTOPPERS

West Liberty (2-11-2, 2-10-1) snapped a five-game losing streak on Sunday with its 0-0 tie against Davis & Elkins. Kylie Collins leads the team with five goals, which is tied for eighth in the conference, and 10 points. Frida Lundberg is the only other Hilltopper with multiple goals on the season, having scored two of her own. 

Kaisa Vale has started all but one game for WLU, posting a goals-against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .743.

Point Park earned a 2-0 road win against West Liberty on Sept. 9. Charisma Arteaga and Becca Simpkins both scored their first goals as Pioneers in the result, as PPU outshot WLU 14-3. Nicole Kuchinski recorded a clean sheet in the match, saving both of West Liberty's shots on goal.

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.