PITTSBURGH -- Point Park women's soccer will welcome MEC-rival Glenville State to the Steel City on Sunday for Homecoming Weekend. Opening kick will be at noon at Duquesne University's Rooney Field.

LAST TIME OUT

The Pioneers (4-3-0, 4-1-0 MEC) drew with Concord 0-0 on the road on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Nicole Kuchinski, who was named MEC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, made 11 saves in her fifth shutout of the season.

CONFERENCE CHECK-IN

Point Park is currently tied with Frostburg State for second place in the MEC North Division at 13 points apiece. Both teams trail No. 16 Fairmont State - the only MEC team to beat Point Park this season - by 3 points

Point Park's 0.50 team goals-against average is second-best in the MEC, trailing only Frostburg State (0.38). The Pioneers average margin of +0.25 goals per game is fourth in the conference.

WEEKLY HONORS

Nicole Kuchinski earned MEC Defensive Player of the Week honors, the conference announced on Monday. Kuchinski became the second Pioneer to receive a weekly award, with Rebecca Pihlgren being named Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7.

Kuchinski leads the MEC with her five shutouts, and she sits in second place in the conference with her .949 save percentage and 0.29 goals-against average. Her 5.29 saves per game is fifth in the league. Kuchinski has only surrendered two goals all season, both coming on the road at ranked opponents (then-No. 22 Ashland and No. 23 Fairmont State).

Her best start of the season came against Concord on Wednesday when she recorded 11 saves in her shutout.

WELCOME TO MOE'S!

Rebecca Pihlgren was named the Moe's Southwest Grill Pioneer Women's Athlete of the Month on Sept. 10. Pihlgren was named MEC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7 after her heroics in the match against Wheeling. The award marks the second time Pihlgren, the reigning MEC Freshman of the Year and 2025 First Team All-MEC nod, has been named MEC Offensive Player of the Week, as she received the honor last year on Oct. 20.

Philgren is tied for fifth in the conference in goals. She sits in seventh place in shots on goal in the MEC. Two of her goals have been game winners, which ties her for the MEC lead.

SHARE THE WEALTH

Point Park has won four of its six conference games with a goal differential of 6-1. The Pioneers have featured four different goalscorers over this stretch, with Rebecca Pihlgren scoring three 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.

SCOUTING GLENVILLE STATE

Glenville State (4-4-0, 4-2-0 MEC) enters with 12 points in MEC play, good for the top spot in the South Division. The Pioneers suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Frostburg State on Wednesday.

Solares Solano leads the team in goals (three), points (8), shots (21) and shots on goal (12) on the campaign. Solano ranks ninth in the MEC in shots and third in shots on goal. Two of her goals have been game winners, tying her with Rebecca Pihlgren and others for the MEC lead.

Lucia Lopez has played in all eight of GSU's games, starting all but one. She's posting a goals-against average of 1.29 and a save percentage of .756 this season, which rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in the league.

THE MATCHUP

Point Park will seek its first win over Glenville State in the two teams' third time all-time game on Sunday. The two teams drew back in 2024 in their first meeting, and GSU picked up a 2-0 last season in Pittsburgh. 

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. 

ROONEY FIELD

Point Park will play at Duquesne University's Rooney Field on Sunday. All fans are advised to park in the Forbes Garage on Duquesne's campus, the entrance to which is located on Forbes Avenue, just past the intersection of Forbes and McAnulty. Admission in the parking garage is $6.

Once inside the garage, fans are encouraged to take the stairs or elevator to the eighth level and make their way across the skywalk toward the campus. Fans can either take the sidewalk up the hill toward the Utico Pavilion or walk through the Student Union building. The entrance to the Union closest to the garage is on the second floor, and fans can take the stairs or elevator to the third floor to exit right next to the field.

More information about Rooney Field can be found here.