WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. -- Point Park women's soccer will visit West Liberty on Wednesday for the team's first MEC road game. Opening kick is slated for 5 p.m. from the West Family Athletic Complex.

LAST TIME OUT

The Pioneers (1-2-0, 1-0-0 MEC), took down Wheeling in their home opener 2-0. Rebecca Pihlgren scored a brace over 90 seconds of game time, finding paydirt in the 80th and 81st minutes.

Pihlgren led the match in shots and shots on goal, tallying seven and five, respectively. She was one of nine Pioneers to register a shot and one of six to record a shot on goal. The Pioneers outshot the Cardinals 20-9, including a 12-4 edge in shots on goal.

Goalkeeper Nicole Kuchinski continued her strong start to the 2026 campaign, making saves on all four Wheeling shots on goal. 

WEEKLY ACCOLADES

Rebecca Pihlgren was named MEC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after her heroics in the match against Wheeling. Monday's 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.

Pihlgren is now tied for the MEC lead in goals and is tied for second in points (4), and shots on goal (six). 

SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS

West Liberty (0-2-1, 0-1-0 MEC) enters Wednesday's matchup seeking its first win and its first goal of the 2026 season. The Hilltoppers lost their opener 1-0 to D'Youville before drawing 0-0 against Malone and losing 3-0 to Fairmont State on Sunday.

Freshman forward Kylie Collins leads WLU in shots (five) and shots on goal (four) on the young season. Her 209 minutes of action led the Hilltoppers as well. Collins ranks fifth in the conference in shots on goal.

Junior goalkeeper Kaisa Vale has played every minute for West Liberty, posting a goals-against average of 1.33 and a save percentage of .789. Vale ranks fifth in the MEC in GAA and seventh in save percentage. Her 5.00 saves per game are tied with PPU's Nicole Kuchinski for sixth in the MEC.

Wednesday will be West Liberty's home opener.

STURDY AT THE BACK

Point Park posts the third-best team goals-against average in the MEC, only allowing 1.0 goals per match. Goalkeeper Nicole Kuchinski sits in second place in the league in both GAA at 0.50 and save percentage at .909. 

Kuchinski became one of six MEC goalkeepers to post a shutout after blanking Wheeling this past weekend.

THE SERIES

Point Park is 2-1-1 against West Liberty in the all-time series which dates back to 2013. The Pioneers earned a 2-1 win over the Hilltoppers in 2013, the only time the two sides have met not as MEC-opponents. 

Point Park earned a 5-1 win over West Liberty last season on the road, with Rebecca Pihlgren scoring a brace and Maria Gomez, Martina Cardemil and Maya Figueroa adding goals. Paula Sole recorded an assist in the victory.

PPU and WLU drew 1-1 in the return game, with Maria Gomez scoring from an Austyn Burkett assist for the Pioneers' lone tally.

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.